Home Improvement Real Estate #Fail
There’s no better way to find the inspiration to get that home improvement project done than to crack open a brew and start fixin’ things. It’s even more fun when there’s absolutely no plan and some discontinued tile scooped at a garage sale within arms reach.
In my daily travels I have the opportunity to see the handy work of many of southwest Florida’s do-it-yourselfers. I’ve seen some amazing things created to personalize, renovate or remodel a home. I’ve also come to the realization that opinion of what is actually considered a renovation or an improvement is nothing but an ugly, gray, debatable area.
With our real estate market peppered with foreclosures and short sales we’re really seeing some novel things out there. Those cabinets that got ripped out by the last disgruntled owner will eventually get jammed into some house that they weren’t exactly created for. Sometimes they almost fit. The fact that the kitchen sink isn’t centered under the window is minor flaw to over look.
I would suppose that most minor flaws can squeak by but they’re kind of like bees. The more they multiply the more out of control the situation gets. This is where people with bee keeper’s suits that don’t know anything about keeping bees probably should hire professional bee keepers to help them.
Simply because a person has a hammer, a tool belt and faithfully watches The Learning Channel doesn’t mean they’re qualified to repair or renovate a home. Don’t get me wrong, there are some brilliant home owners and hobbyists in the private sector who have a gift for home improvement projects. They just blend in because they do their job so well.
Those same folks may also realize a return on their investment because potential buyers won’t be calculating how much it will cost to remove the “improvement” and have it done right.
The biggest edge the home improvement whisperers have over the weekend repairer is that their inspiration doesn’t come primarily from a can of beer, plus they usually have the know-how to measure twice-cut once and own a fabled tool called a level.
It’s all about the details, no matter how small they are. That includes the basics like making something level and plumb.
Googling to find out how to install something might actually be a sign to just call someone that actually does know how to do it right the first time or maybe even do it safely the first time. Some of the freelance wiring I’ve seen lately is horrifying and it’s a miracle that nobody’s been baked in their sleep, yet.
It’s been a few solid months of jaw dropping, designer doozies and now I’m taking pictures. Maybe the latest and greatest discoveries of southwest Florida’s home improvement kludges should be sent to www.ThereIFixedIt.com.
There actually is a place where an automobile jack holding up the corner of a home, a shower in a closet and an entire house wired off of one circuit is actually safe; and that’s right on the internet where nobody will be electrocuted or broasted for just living a house “fixed up” by guy with a screwdriver and a dream.
Like Dirty Harry says, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” Amateurs, you may now put your screwdrivers and hammers down.
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Real Life in Bonita Springs is a project by Chris Griffith dedicated to writing useful blog posts for consumers about the Bonita Springs, Florida area. Find out what it is really like to live in Bonita Springs, Florida by reading about our fair city. You’ll get the latest in local real estate information, Bonita Springs real estate market reports and a little bit of humor. If you have topic ideas, feel free to request a story about the idea, after all, this site is just for you.
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