 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Check out what's new in magazines. Ask questions of
friends and contractors. Go online. Visit stores and explore, not
just for tools for but the latest materials to lend beauty,
continuity and function to the final product.
A common
pattern, says Birdsong, is for do-it-yourselfers to cram too much
task into too little time. The sprint to the finish and the
temptation for immediate gratification often rule, and design time
gets scant consideration.
Projects create a domino effect of
sorts. Birdsong says if you change a kitchen countertop, for
example, the ripple effect impacts floors, backsplash, sink and
faucets, walls, cabinets and appliances. But if homeowners consider
only matching items by colour, says Birdsong, they dont open
themselves to the larger possibilities.
"We tend to treat
rooms in certain ways," says Birdsong, "but it doesn't mean we have
to stay with how they are. We need to see how rooms can be."
Take time to think through your projects and consider your
budget, your time and your ability. Consider the sequence of the
work at hand, and plot the order of events on paper. Factor in lead
times for special order items to make sure you have all products on
hand when you need them. And by all means, be realistic about your
available time and personal skill sets.
Don't overestimate
your abilities. Do work you're capable of, but subcontract elements
out of your comfort zone.
Birdsong says Lowes sees no letup
in home improvements, planned or not. "Home has never been more
important," she says. "People will continue to make their home
better and more comfortable. But changes are like cooking. You
wouldnt bake before reading the recipe. You need to think through
every step."
Common home improvement missteps:
1. The sledge hammer syndrome: tearing out the old
before they know what to do next.
2. Not planning up
front or incomplete planning up front.
3. Not
understanding all the steps or sequencing of events involved from
planning to finish.
4. Not having the right materials and
tools to do the job.
5. Missed opportunities for new
possibilities in room design.
6. Not understanding the
chain of events from planning to finish.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
.gif){kind=small}
