15 Things People Skimped on During a Home Renovation but Realized It Was a Mistake

Renovating a space is never easy. It’s almost always a reason for worry, arguments, and lots of stress. Aside from having to control everything (like the quality of work), you also worry about the budget and if you have enough money. And because it might get overwhelming, you may even want to postpone something and finish it in a few months, which can really become a burden.

My name is Nastya, and I have experience with renovations as well as very responsible family, friends, and acquaintances, and dozens of workers that I’ve asked hundreds of questions. I wanted to learn everything about renovations. And today, I’m going to share what I know with Bright Side.

Remodeling without a permit

This might lead not only to safety problems but also fines. And if you decide to sell the home in the future, you’ll face some issues. You’re going to have to break what you built and make it the way it was. So, all serious changes have to be done with permission.

Uneven walls

To fix them, you’re going to have to start everything from scratch. If they’re just a bit uneven, it’s not that bad, but if it’s visible, it’s better not to skimp on them. Uneven walls will lead to problems with furniture, you won’t be able to keep things like dressers flush with the wall, and tiles will be harder to lay.

A closing door

Here’s a typical situation: You go to take out the trash or meet a delivery person, and the door behind you closes, and you have no keys. So, you’ll have to break the lock and replace it, or even the entire door. It’s better to think this through in advance and not have such a lock. And if you do have such a door already, make sure there’s a copy of the key somewhere safe.

Electrical wiring

Problems with wiring can lead to fires. Considering the fact that we charge about 4-5 devices a day and use a lot of other appliances, there’s a lot of work for the electricity network to handle. And if the wiring is bad, there’s a chance there’ll be fire. It’s better to hire a professional electrician to do all the necessary work from the very beginning.

Switches that are placed too high

This is an important thing to consider for those who are planning to have children. I know people that suffer from this problem. If the switch is too high, the child will have to jump up to reach it. And they won’t hit it every time, so the area under the switch will become dirty very fast. It’s better to place a switch at about 3 to 5 feet above the floor.

Not enough switches

No matter how well you know your apartment, you can always step on something accidentally in the dark. So it’s better to reach the bed with the lights on and turn them off once you’re all tucked in. To make this a reality, put 2 switches in the bedroom — one at the entrance and another one by the bed. This is also true for homes with long hallways: put switches at both ends.

Heated floors in the entire room

Heated floors are not cheap, so it’s better to put them against the edges of kitchen furniture so that it’s comfortable to stand on while you’re cooking. The sizes of your future kitchen furniture pieces can be calculated, and there’s no point in putting the heated floor system in the whole room. It’s also a good idea to install heated floors in the hallways. In winter, you’ll be able to dry your shoes there.

Ventilation for built-in appliances

It’s important to remember that kitchen appliances need some space between their backs and the wall of the home. If there’s not enough space for ventilation, the fridge will break down much faster. It’s better to plan such things in advance.

No access to pipes

This is absolutely your responsibility to make sure there’s access to the pipes, the drainage system, and everything else. If needed, you will have to break whatever is blocking it. You might drop something in the toilet, or the pipe might explode. Just imagine how much you’ll have to break.

Not replacing old pipes

This is not a cheap thing to do, and the temptation to keep the old pipes is big. But you must understand that old pipes can break and you’ll have to change them — and there’s a chance you’ll flood the neighbors’ place downstairs. So don’t neglect this.

A single source of light

You will have too little light or too much of it. Either way, you should consider having several sources of light to create the exact atmosphere you need. If you don’t do this, all the power outlets will be occupied with lamps.

Power outlets

This is obvious, but there’s no such thing as too many power outlets. The more, the better. Ideally, you should have an idea of where you’ll need them to calculate the number and the location. Of course, you can use extension cords later, but it’s better not to have to use them or you will have to see them every day.

Not letting the floor screed dry

The screed is the foundation of the floor. You can put the floor cover on top of it. The screed takes a long time to dry. But it’s important to let it dry completely, otherwise, the materials you’ll use will suffer. For example, if you put tiles on screed that’s not dry enough, the glue won’t function properly.

Tiles with relief

They look nice, it’s true. But you should take the location of these tiles into consideration. It will be hard to keep them clean near the kitchen or in the bathroom. Also, it will be almost impossible to put anything right next to such tiles. There will always be some space, and dirt will build up there.

Cement grout for your bathroom

When you are installing a bathtub, it’s empty. Maybe the person installing it will get into it to make the process easier. But if you fill the tub and get into it, it will weigh much more. It might go into the floor and the cement grout will crack. The water will get into the cracks, and fungus will appear. That’s why it’s best to use special epoxy grout for bathrooms.

The general idea I wanted to communicate is that it’s wrong to skimp on basic things. You can buy furniture or replace the windows later. But there are some really basic things you should know in order to do a renovation well. Maybe you have a few secrets of your own that everyone should know!