Renovation Realities: The Dirty Stinking Truth

Remodeling a house is supposed to be fun, right? It's usually portrayed to be an amazing adventure on HGTV. Everyone is smiling and energized, bargains and freebies are constantly found (Look at the free fixtures for our bathroom we just found out in a field! Now we have $3,000 extra for that Pottery Barn sectional we wanted!), countless numbers of friends and family who just happen to be plumbers or electricians and have all the time in the world to help out, and much to my amazement, these renovations are done in a weekend or in 4 weeks. 

Well, I am here to tell you that if you have not already survived, yes, I said survived, a full home remodel and you are planning one, you may want to stop reading before I burst your Pinterest Dream Home Board bubble. I want to be the voice of reality and reason for you. It is not what it is always portrayed to be and quite honestly I cannot figure out why we keep doing it. Yes, this is not the first time. We have been on this journey before. Now, I have not had the blessing and experience of childbirth so I cannot make any comparisons or claims, but I have been told many times by friends that if they had remembered the sickness and pain from the first pregnancy and birth, they might not have done it a second time. What is it about time that dulls the memory and plays tricks with your decision making?

Don't get me wrong, the remodels have been good financial investments in the long run and we have definitely enjoyed the results (I also immensely enjoy the end result of getting to decorate), but there are many things to think about that are not shared in a 30 minute DIY segment. 

I have been fortunate to have a boyfriend with a construction and carpentry background. So far, there has been nothing he couldn't tackle or engineer. Had he not had the years of experience, we would probably still be back in that first house. With that said, no matter how much talent and skill anyone has, remodels are hard. Also, there has to be time to do this work and there has to be motivation. Who wants to hang drywall on Saturday when you could be watching a movie on your couch or doing ANYTHING else!!!! This seems to be our only roadblock now, but let me share with you some points to ponder before you begin your renovation. 

• First, there is going to be dust everywhere.......EVERYWHERE!!!! If you have allergies or a small child this might be a big hurdle for you. You can clean it, but it will be back in 15 to 20 minutes. I am talking couches and mattresses too. 

• Your house is going to smell like a chemical waste dump. Again, important to know if you have allergies, small children or are pregnant.

• Nothing is ever as easy as it looks. That wall you want to knock down; there's something important in it!

• Estimate your time to do the project......then double it. Again, nothing is as easy as it seems and the days are shorter than you think.

• Friends and family usually don't have experience and they don't have time to help. This baby is YOURS, and everybody knows it!

• That "free" cast iron claw foot tub: it weighs 1,000 lbs and will not fit through the door. Very rarely do you get something for free without paying some kind of price. Think chipped wall paint and scraped and scarred door jams. 

• You and your significant other ARE going to fight. Yes, there will be times of laughter and a sense of accomplishment, but no greater war has ever been fought!

• Ladies....be ready to break your nails and swallow a lot of dirt. Let's just say I lost a lot of pride at the city dump. 

• Cultured marble is not your friend and not by any means easy to remove and dispose of, and most bathrooms are covered in it.

• That discount store full of second quality and surplus items is more seconds than surplus. Be prepared to live with imperfection or cough up the cash for that second kitchen backsplash you didn't budget for. 

• Paint colors look great at the paint store; but, in reality, not so much in your house. Leave the Battleship Gray for the US Navy (our living room looked like a prison cell)! Make sure you budget for the infinite number of paint samples. Your walls are going to look like a patchwork quilt.  

• Be open to change. That granite you want....it's not on sale. Your plan can be very different from reality.

• Curb your buying. The more you have in your house, the harder it is to work on. This coming from the person paying $129.00 a month for a storage building, and still shuffling things from room to room. 

• A house that was heavily smoked in hits the budget harder than one that was not. Zinsser Cover Stain by Rust-Oleum will be your best friend. 

• Plumbers and electricians are even more expensive than you think. Get many estimates.

• Make sure you get a home warranty if you are purchasing a home to remodel. That has saved us a lot of money (tree root in the sewer line....ouch).

• If your parents or in-laws have an extra room in their house, go ahead and make your reservation now. Thanks Mom and Dad!

I hope I haven't totally scared you or changed your plans. My goal is only to prepare you for the reality that those TV shows we all love do not. I am always here for advice and questions. Stay tuned for our remodel story and photo gallery.

What are your experiences with remodeling, any good stories or advice? Comments are welcome and enjoyed!