We were recently asked if we wanted to be apart of a feature on Zillow giving advice for Do’s and Don’ts when it comes do DIY. As always, we were incredibly honored that they reached out and jumped at the chance for a feature on Zillow.
Zillow is an online real estate data base with millions of homes. They are the leader within the real estate industry and great home improvement resource.
Check out our full interview below and the article with advice from other experts, HERE.
- What is your worst DIY regret? Why?
Honestly, we can’t think of a single regret. We have had a lot of DIY fails in which we have gained experience and knowledge from all of our mistakes which has never led to a regret.
We recently chatted about our paint colors being our biggest DIY fail. Paint colors are tricky. Benjamin Moore has over 12 white paint colors. Before we started renovating homes, we thought white was white. When we purchased our 2nd renovation property, I wanted our dining room to be blue and bold. Well, the blue we initially chose ended up being way too bright for our taste. I thought it might tone down after a second coat, but it didn’t. Thankfully you can always paint over paint. And lucky for us, we get to blog about our mistakes so you can learn through us.
- Based on your experience, what is a home improvement project that you would recommend doing yourself?
We always encourage everyone to DIY. We love DIY projects and are huge advocates that anyone can do anything themselves if they have the passion to do it. We have a ton of tutorials on our website such as:
- DIY concrete countertops
- How to build your own kitchen range hood for under $40
- How to tape, mud and sand drywall
- How to tile a floor
…and a ton more, so be sure to check us out!
Whatever you have the desire to DIY- you can do. And we would love to be your resource. If you can’t find a tutorial on our site, email us at construction2style@gmail.com and I promise you we will make one.
The biggest thing we hear from our clients was that attempting to remodel their bathroom, kitchen, or build their deck from scratch was their biggest DIY regret. They expected it to look like something out of a magazine and instead looked like they did it themselves and were very unhappy and called us.
While we love to encourage everyone to DIY, if you are hesitant, weigh your options. If your time is worth the money for you to learn, that is very valuable- so go for it!
- How can first-time DIYers set realistic expectations when planning a project?
“When your goal is to gain experience, perspective, and knowledge, failure is no longer a possibility.” One of our favorite quotes that we have framed in our office and live by. There are so many resources and tutorials out there to tackle any DIY project.
We even did a DIY project with a client the other day and it took a heck of alot longer and a ton more time, energy, and money than we anticipated. But at the end of the day, we had so many laughs, got to know one another a lot more, and gained experience. It was SO worth it.
- How do you stay within budget for DIY projects? Where do you save money?
Doing it yourself saves money on labor, not on time. If you are wanting to DIY a project and have a budget- research a lot. Research your materials and costs. If you don’t own the tools to tackle the project, it is probably more cost effective to hire. If you are wanting to gain the expertise and have those tools for many more projects to come, DIY.
At construciton2style we are DIY-ing, remodeling, and renovating all day- everyday. So with that we gain expertise and experience constantly. Being we work within the industry we stay up to date on the latest codes, regulations and design trends. Although we are huge advocates of DIY, we realistically know that it is hard to DIY and stay within budget with all of the remodeling regulations. So make sure to do your research and understand the DIY project you are tackling and if it is worth your money and time.
- Tell us about your most successful DIY project. (What made it successful?)
Our biggest success that we are the most proud of is our own personal home investment properties. We have renovated three homes and are very proud of them all. Our first investment property was the biggest success we have had to date when it comes to profit. We profited $90,000 from buying low, updating the entire home and selling high. So if you have to tools and passion to tackle a full home remodel- we highly encourage you to go after your dreams! You’ll never regret it.
