Having had a bit of experience in home remodeling projects, I can safely tell you that it’s a “learn-from-your-mistakes” process.  I’ve seen plenty of other people’s mistakes and probably made more of my own.  This is a list of what I consider to be the top 10 DIY mistakes you can make in the process of a home remodeling process.

DIY Mistake #1) Not obtaining a permit or researching the building codes --- DIY’ers make the mistake of thinking (or not thinking) that they don’t need a permit.
 
DIY Mistake #2) Failing to draw up a work plan --- failure to plan is planning to fail.  DIY’ers think that a job will take less time than it does only to find out the hard way that just the opposite is true.

DIY Mistake #3) Budgeting too low --- this one is a killer sometimes.  Rule of thumb is that you figure out your cost and at least double it (maybe even triple it to play it safe).

DIY Mistake #4) Not being qualified to do the job --- you’ll find this one out the hard way if you start a home remodeling project and can’t complete it because your ego did the thinking for you.

DIY Mistake #5) Always have a backup plan --- expect the unexpected, and make sure it’s covered in that budget you drew up.  DIY’ers make this mistake on a regular basis.

DIY Mistake #6) If you’re planning on buying, get the house inspected --- this is just common sense, but a lot of people overlook this or brush it aside to save money.

DIY Mistake #7) Use the right tool for the job --- buy the right tool for your home remodeling project, and when you can afford it, buy professional quality.

DIY Mistake #8) Buying substandard quality (as in cheap) materials --- don’t skimp on the price.  Buying ceramic tile at $.50 per square is no bargain if they are manufactured cheaply and 1/3 of them crack while you’re trying to install them.

DIY Mistake #9) Underestimating the resale value --- DIY’ers make the mistake of thinking they can sell the home for three times the cost of the improvements plus the price of the home.

DIY Mistake #10) The biggest DIY’er mistake is that they don’t learn from other people’s mistakes --- unfortunately, DIY’ers wind up learning from their own mistakes with home remodeling projects instead of the ones that other people have made.

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The latest trend in home decorating can come from just about anywhere.  The idea of turning your house into your home can be a fun thought filled with imaginary pictures.  You may dream of ways to open up unused space or adding more color and dimension to the usable areas.  Home decorating is probably one of the best reasons you love owning your homes.  You are not limited to what the lease says.  You can paint, wallpaper, and decorate any way you want.  The problem... (Read More)

If you are looking to make a difference in your house but do not have the money to pay for an interior designer, you can remodel your home by yourself simply and without costing you thousands of dollars.  Below you will find three tips on remodeling that ugly room the prize room in your house.Flat walls are boring walls.  The first tip that we are going to offer you is to change the texture of the walls.  How does one change the texture? Simply with dry wall techniques.  With... (Read More)

Believe it or not, home remodeling is very important.  At any time in our lives, changes occur; we are offered new jobs, sometimes we lose out jobs, we are looking to down size or upgrade, neighborhoods change, etc.  Therefore at any moment, you may need to sell your house.  Of course, we can put our houses on the market as is and hope that we get a better return than what we originally paid for the house.   But with a little creativity also known as home remodeling, houses... (Read More)

A list of the “10 Most Influential People in Remodeling” was published in the February issue of Professional Remodeler magazine. The winners were hand-picked by the magazine’s editors.Among the people named the “10 Most Influential in Remodeling” were Martha Stewart, Alan Greenspan, Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Martha Stewart seems like an obvious choice, but a lot of these winners wouldn’t have been at the forefront of most peoples’ minds when considering the industry.Michael... (Read More)

Dairy Queen franchisee associations are suing the company in a fight about required remodeling. Dairy Queen has demanded that certain franchises update their stores to the tune of $275-450,000. This includes increasing the size of the buildings. Locations in Arizona, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia are involved in the lawsuit.The franchise owners argue that the new model is risky and expensive. It involves a new concept for the company called... (Read More)