DIY renovation
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Perform renovation labor yourself to avoid high contractor costs.
Contractor quotes can be higher than material costs; for example, one quote was $6k for windows that cost $1300+ in materials. In Texas, a rule of thumb suggests adding 25% to material costs for professional labor, which some find excessive.
- Not everyone is capable of doing the work themselves.
one person who lived it
Get someone to help mix and spread epoxy resin quickly.
Doing it alone can be stressful as you try to work before the resin starts to set.
one person who lived it
Join local 'buy nothing' groups to receive free items from neighbors.
People in these groups are often willing to help out.
one person who lived it
Spray apple cider vinegar on old wallpaper before scraping to make removal easier.
One person found it made decades-old layers scrape off really easily.
one person who lived it
Stain dated knotty wood cabinets dark instead of tearing them out if they provide good coverage.
Tearing out perfectly good cabinets that provide wall-to-wall coverage is wasteful.
one person who lived it
Hang pictures and plaqued posters early in a move to make a rental feel like your own space.
It makes the space feel personal.
one person who lived it
Use a foam or rubber mat while doing dishes to make standing more comfortable.
It makes standing there better.
one person who lived it
Check how contact paper colors look on the wall before committing, as roll appearance may differ from installed appearance.
Colors can shift when applied; for example, grey on a roll appeared blue on the wall.
one person who lived it
Avoid painting inside cabinet shelves; use shelf liner instead to prevent items from sticking to or ripping up the paint.
Latex paint blocking causes plates, oil bottles, and heavy items to stick and rip the paint.
one person who lived it
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Remove cabinet doors and hinges before painting to make the process easier.
It'll make life easy for you.
one person who lived it
Use insurance money for water damage to install upgraded waterproof flooring yourself.
Doing the labor yourself allows the check to cover nicer flooring.
one person who lived it
Salvage solid wood cabinets instead of discarding them.
They are usually worth the effort to restore.
one person who lived it
Avoid using rubbing alcohol on polyurethane-sealed surfaces.
It can ruin the finish even after multiple coats.
one person who lived it
Keep keys, wallet, and work ID cards in a nice entryway bowl for practicality and aesthetics.
It looks nice and is very practical.
one person who lived it
Install Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring as a waterproof, easy self-install alternative to carpet.
It is designed to be an easy lock/click installation.
one person who lived it
Live in a habitable inherited or fixer-upper home for a while before starting major renovations to identify real issues.
Some issues are not noticeable until you have lived there.
one person who lived it
Avoid exposing epoxy resin surfaces to direct sunlight.
The material is UV sensitive and does not handle direct sunlight well.
one person who lived it
Downsize cabinet contents to only weekly-use items to get the most from utility in smaller or renovated spaces.
One household found they used only about 1/6th of their cabinet contents on a weekly basis, allowing the rest to be stored elsewhere.
one person who lived it
Use cutting boards on epoxy countertops instead of cutting directly on the surface.
Direct cutting will scratch the surface.
one person who lived it
Sand between paint coats with extremely fine sandpaper.
Otherwise it gets streaky.
one person who lived it
View budget DIY fixes like spray-painted tile as temporary replacements rather than long-term solutions.
If the fix lasts, it saves money; if not, the low initial cost makes future replacement less burdensome.
one person who lived it
Place trivets under hot items on epoxy-coated surfaces to prevent damage from high temperatures.
Epoxy cannot be exposed to high temps.
one person who lived it