Home Repair Mistakes to Avoid

Home renovations can be exciting, as you watch your vision come to life and your home value increase with each swing of the hammer. With the high cost of home repair projects, it can be tempting to try to do the repairs on your own. After all, it will save money, and there are plenty of YouTube video tutorials—what could go wrong? A lot, actually! Keep reading to learn about the top five home repair mistakes to avoid.

Under-budgeting is a huge home repair mistake

Setting up an accurate budget is the most important part of home renovation. Before the project starts, make sure you have enough money saved for the project. To do this, include everything you’ll need to purchase for the project—supplies, tools, permits, contractor fees. Talk to a variety of contractors to get an accurate idea of the current costs associated with home renovations. If anything, you should over-budget, in case things go wrong during the project or prices increase.

Forgetting to get permits

For most big home projects, you’ll need to get permits from the city where you live. If you’re remodeling your basement, adding an addition, redoing your garage, or taking on any other large projects, your city will require you to purchase a permit and get approval to begin the project. While it may be tempting to skip this step and save yourself the hassle, don’t. You want to make sure the project is done right—proper electric wiring, plumbing, etc. This is important for your safety and for when you sell your house—prospective owners will want to know that all renovations were done correctly.

Cutting corners

When you’re knee-deep in gutting your kitchen or bathroom, it can be tempting to take shortcuts to make the project go faster or cost less. For example, it may seem like a good idea to use cheaper materials to save money, but in the end, you’ll end up spending more fixing the issues caused by cheap materials. It can also be tempting to take shortcuts with installation or building projects, but any issues caused by these shortcuts will end up creating more work for you. It’s best to use quality materials, even if they are more expensive, and take the extra time to ensure the job is done right the first time.

Incorrectly measuring

This is a gut-wrenching mistake to make. You measured your countertops, walls, or floors, and think you have the correct measurements. But once you cut the materials and try to install them, you realize your measurements were off. This is an expensive and frustrating mistake to make, so always make sure you measure at least twice.

Choosing the cheapest contractor

Like choosing cheap materials, choosing a contractor based solely on the fact that they’re the lowest bid is not good practice. You want to select a contractor who is competitively priced and knowledgeable. Even if the contractor with the best reviews is more expensive, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing the job is getting done correctly the first time.

While doing projects on your own can be tempting, it’s too easy to make home repair mistakes. This is why your best bet is to hire a qualified professional like Atlantic Property Restoration to ensure you get the job done right the first time. Contact us today to get a quote!