Home remodeling projects range from an expensive undertaking to small projects that improve the quality of life while dramatically improving the value of the home. There are many mistakes you could make while doing it yourself. Here are three essential tips for DIY home remodeling projects to avoid regrets.
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Home remodeling projects become a source of frustration, aggravation, and conflict when it severely interferes with the family’s life. For example, when a family of five is told to share a small child’s bathroom it creates conflict because no one is accustomed to waiting and it is uncomfortable to have multiple users in the same space. You could reduce this stress using an on site porta potty rental so that your family members could use it if the one working bathroom is taken. Also, rent porta potties so that you aren’t forcing family members to trek next door to go to the bathroom or asking them to use buckets.
Work on one section of the house at a time so that members don’t face different aggravations as they walk through the house. For example, don’t have both an unusable kitchen and no bathroom. Plan the schedule so that your family is inconvenienced as little as possible, such as scheduling several people to work on painting bedrooms so that your kids don’t have to stay out of in-progress renovations for days on end.
Don’t turn your basement into an illegal apartment to rent, since it won’t meet code and you risk fines if you let it to anyone but your adult children or in-laws. Don’t try to do electrical work or plumbing modifications on your own unless they are small projects you can complete without requiring a permit, such as replacing light fixtures or plumbing fixtures.
One common mistake is going overboard and putting a chef-grade kitchen in a cozy neighborhood home, with the end result of not recouping more than half the cost of the project when the home is sold. Putting a luxurious bath in a mid-market home may increase your quality of life, but it won’t return a fraction of the money you spent on it. Don’t do home renovations that decrease the value of the home, such as extending a master bedroom at the expense of the bedroom count.
Changes to your home that let you age in place won’t have a high return on investment but are worth the money if it lets you avoid selling the property and moving into a nursing home for several years.
Plan projects so that you don’t make your family’s life a nightmare for weeks on end. Only take on DIY projects you know how to complete correctly and can complete within your area’s building code. Your renovations should not be beyond the standards of your neighborhood because it won’t recoup the cost when you put the house up for sale. Only make changes that seriously improve your quality of life or improve the value of your home.
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