Far too many of us have home improvement projects that have been started but have not been painstakingly seen all the way through to the end — painstaking being the key word here. In fact, the average homeowner has at least four renovation projects that have been started, but never completed. A full 31% of homeowners are in the middle of a project they have been working on for at least 52 days.

It’s not for the lack of desire. Time may be an issue, but most of us are willing to miss an episode or two of “The Golden Bachelor” (and I pray to high heaven we are not really watching this) to spend a few hours to finish up the tiling on the backsplash. More likely, the reason is the lack of experience and skill. It is always harder than it looks.

Some of the projects I have been able to successfully complete in my own home include vacuuming, changing a lightbulb and switching out a battery in my carbon monoxide detector. In full disclosure, this is a comprehensive and complete list. The list of projects I have started and found myself woefully inadequate to complete is a much, much longer list. As it turns out, I have appreciable company in the arena of home improvement fails.

As if spinning my wheels is a hobby, I recently took it upon myself to try again. This time, it wasn’t with my home but a commercial space that I own. I decided to convert this space from offices to a salon. An interesting choice, albeit, for someone who has about as much skill in doing my own hair, let alone someone else’s. However, I do know real estate, and I know rent for individual salon suites can generate much more income than office space. Either way, this necessitated some less-than-minor renovations.

The first project on my list was to switch out the flooring from industrial carpet to LVP (luxury vinyl plank) flooring. I’ve seen this done in real life, so I really felt like I was capable. After all, I’m willing to put in some hard labor, and I know I can work long hours, so I felt instantly qualified. After purchasing the flooring, opening the box, taking one of the planks out and placing it on the floor, I quickly realized that I would need some tools that I didn’t have. I also realized that the room was not a square and that the walls were not straight. I found a contractor to do the floors and began my next project, molding.

I instantly began to observe a pattern: planning, purchasing, spending hours attempting and then hiring it out. I should have recognized this pattern. This is not my first attempted renovation rodeo. I have ridden in many. Apparently, I continue to think my abilities magically improve with my age, but alas, it was not to be. I threw up my hands and hired contractors for all of it.

Across the board, the top three home improvement fails include painting or putting up wallpaper or tile, installing new flooring, and replacing or repairing a roof. These are the same top three projects people recommend not doing on their own. I would adamantly add to that list any activities related to plumbing or electrical work for obvious reasons, safety being paramount.

My salon was finally completed. Admitting that I needed help was the first step; it was also the most difficult. I had already made a list of all the projects and prioritized the work, set a budget and then added 20% to the budget (as a reality check). Once I decided to engage the necessary and qualified help, I lined up the contractors. I am fortunate that I have a list of contractors in every area that I know, like and trust, and I have an established relationship with them. Most experienced Realtors do. Finding qualified and trusted contractors is the next most difficult step, second only to recognizing the need for professional help. Getting recommendations and referrals is far superior to the alternative (which we will discuss next week).

Ask any licensed handyman, electrician, plumber, roofer or contractor — it costs much more in both time and money to correct the mistakes that homeowners make in attempting to do their own work than it would have if it had been hired out in the first place. And trust me, when you go to sell, we (Realtors, specifically buyer’s agents) have seen enough homespun, makeshift, ramshackled, half-finished projects to know the difference, and we always recommend professional inspections. Your hard work will not go unnoticed.

Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor. She can be reached at 801-645-2134 or jen@jen-fischer.com.

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