Home improvement projects can be pretty expensive and stressful events. As much as we would like to snap our fingers and have the project completed almost instantaneously, it just doesn’t happen that way. In addition to what you want to do as far as the project goes may not be what your spouse or partner may have had in mind. Couples doing home improvements can really put the relationship to the test during these times.
In the beginning you really need to sit down with your partner to discuss and decide what you both want. Put it down on paper as rough sketches and lists to begin with. Make more detailed drawings or plans as you get a better idea of what you want. Make a file of pictures from magazines that are similar to what you both have in mind.
Depending on the project, you may find that some of what you want to do in the project is vastly different than what your partner had or has in mind. It can be something as simple as the color of the paint that can take a whole afternoon to decide on. Hopefully not, but I have seen couples take that long and have arguments over it. There is a lot of emotions for many people over the simplest things.
And, that is fine. It is better to figure out what you both want, or can live with, before the first nail is driven or the room gets painted because some stuff is harder to change than others. A room can be repainted fairly easily (okay, relatively easily). But, the reconfiguration of the kitchen can cost thousands of dollars to do it all over again.
You think I’m joking. I’m not, really. Some people will have the whole project redone because it doesn’t turn out the way they wanted it to.
Here’s a story to illustrate what I mean. One of my tiling contractor buddies told me of one of his clients (whom I know and can totally visualize the whole episode going down moment by moment) telling him to rip up the beautiful imported tiles (which she had quite happily chosen). My buddy had just finished installing them throughout their home. Because the color was not quite what she wanted he had to do it all over again. The couple ended up paying for two tiling jobs in the end instead of one because they didn’t figure out what exactly they wanted in the beginning.
This is an extreme example but it happens in varying degrees all the time.
Watch the video below to see one couple discuss something as simple as replacing a set of faucets. Short but funny.
Scenes from a DIY Life 1
This commercial shows a couple discussing the funny things that happen when you embark upon a DIY faucet installation project.