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“I Found Someone Who Will Do It Cheaper”: 30 Regretful Times People Tried To Save On Renovations
Renovating your home can get pretty expensive. According to research by Houzz, Americans spent $18k on average on home renovation projects in 2021. Money doesn't grow on trees, so, people often look for the cheapest possible "professionals" who can do the job for less.
Some folks, however, venture into cheapskate territory, and the group "I found someone who will do it cheaper" shares these kinds of fails and shames them. These might just be the perfect examples that paying a professional to do a good job will probably pay off tenfold in the future.
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#1
My Interior Designer I Hired Od'd On Crown Molding And Was Sent To Rehab Afterwards
RELATED:
#2
It’s Not A Big Kitchen But It Turns Out Perfect
Most people would like to be able to fix up their homes without breaking the bank. Some choose to do it themselves, others pay professionals. But even hiring the so-called professionals doesn't always pan out and can leave you with fails similar to those in this list.
If you've ever hired someone to do renovations or some fixing for you, chances are they might've disappointed you in some way. Maybe the materials they used were of low quality, perhaps the workers weren't as experienced as they needed to be for that particular job. Whatever the reason, now you're left with some shoddy-looking fix.
#4
Better Leave Before The Customer Sees It
David 3 weeks ago (edited)
LOL. Make sure you find some studs. If you zoom in and follow the lines, it appears they could have had 4 of the 8 screws anchored in the studs if they had moved the entire thing over about 3 inches. I've had my TV wall mounted for about 15 years. Currently 75" LED but before that a 45" plasma that probably weighed about the same. It only has 4 screws but it's still solid because they are lag bolts anchored into the studs.
#5
The Cheapest Contractor I Hired Suggested Cutting Out The Floor Space To Save Money As I Couldn't Afford A Solid Door
Regretfully ended up paying 4 times the cost of a solid door for "unforseen factors" not accounted for
#6
I Get Paid To Paint Not Move Stuff
Is there anything you can do after being disappointed by a construction worker? Insurance experts at Landes Bloch claim there are a few solutions. The best thing to do to avoid construction fails is to sign a contract. That way, you're legally protected if the job gets done poorly or with low-quality materials.
Documenting the issues can also come in handy, as then you'll have proof of the damage. You can document how everything looks at the very end, but you can also take pictures as the process is going on. You just might capture the moment when things started going south.
#7
Another Satisfied Client
#8
Fell For A Certified Caulker. When Asked For Proof Of His Certification He Said It Got Misplaced Sometime While He Was Neatly Organizing His Office
The experts at Landes Bloch also recommend keeping any recorded conversations with the contractor about the issue. Written notes about the issues you notice during the construction or renovation process can come in handy too. That includes the date when you discovered the issue, detailed descriptions, and any conversations between you and the contractor.
#10
Mint
whiterabbit 3 weeks ago
When I bought my older house a few years ago I eventually tore out all the closets and drawers they built in the basement. It exposed the only support that was holding up the center of the main beam running through my house. It was a single 2x4 that had 1/3 of it rotted out at the bottom since it was untreated and directly on the concrete. That was right next to the remnants of the original beam support, a large steel pole that they sawed off flush with the concrete at some point
#11
Do I Remove The Toilet ?
#12
No Need For A Carpenter When A Tech Is Around
A contractor might be liable to fix their mistakes if their work isn't up to "reasonable standards." However, what the "reasonable standards" actually are can be a point of contention. If you want to be thorough, you can get another professional's opinion, this time, preferably, from one that is not your budget option.
#13
Nice Chess Pieces
#14
Always Working On Tight Spaces
#15
Mint
As Tommy Mitchell of Mitchell Construction Group writes, a too-good-to-be-true price will often be just that. "The problem is that if you focus solely on cutting costs, chances are good you'll end up cutting corners," he claims. He has three main tips for people who don't want to pay twice: choose high-quality materials, be prepared to spend more on high-quality work, and choose a reputable renovation company.
#16
Another Satisfied Client
WalterWhiteSavannah 3 weeks ago
Why did the hang it? God I was a carpenter for a decade and a half and I might have to stop reading this.
#17
Mint
Brian Droste 3 weeks ago
Why would you want anything like that? That would be horrendous to clean.
Panda-sized Potato 3 weeks ago
This actually looks like it might be a hotel room. The bathroom, the keycard door, and the general shape of the room, makes me think so.
BossyCloud 3 weeks ago
A comment from the original post: "You’ll get that when all the cows walk the same path into the barn. Their p**s gets all churned up and makes a muddy slurry with the hay mixed in."
painttheyellowsubgreen 3 weeks ago
The bed is an air mattress on a rug, on a platform that appears to also be covered in rocks
shankShaw deReemer 3 weeks ago
And that looks like an area rug under the air mattress, too! Guess it would supply some much-needed traction!
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Linda Johnson 3 weeks ago
WTF is this??? I can't figure it out....looks like a creek with fish?? is that what they wanted????
ManuelQue 3 weeks ago
I hope they're fake fish unless the resin keeps them from decomposing. I really hope they're fake!
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#18
Mint
When choosing renovation products (and this applies even when you're doing a DIY project), always go for high quality. Mitchell explains that even reputable brands manufacture cheaper, low-cost alternatives for big chain stores: "On closer inspection, the actual products and part numbers are different," he explains. So, it's always better to buy them from a reputable commercial supplier."
#19
Professional Courtesy
#20
Mint
Most contractors who are good at their jobs know it and ask for the appropriate compensation for their high-quality work. "No contractor can stay in business if they’re not making money," Mitchell explains the simple logic. If a pro is asking for less money than their competitors, chances are they're using lower quality materials and paying their workers less.
#22
No Dream Is To Big, Call Now
#23
Was Running Low On Material, But Were Making It Work! Gotta Get This Job Done So Me And The Boys Can Get Paid!
Panda-sized Potato 3 weeks ago
The title seems like just a joke. That might be temporary. That looks like where those stairs go.
#24
Is There Any Way I Can Get This Straightened Out A Little Bit?
Realtor Jen McFadyen, for example, stresses the importance of communication with your contractors. According to her, it's better to over-communicate than to pay (literally) for mistakes later. "Have all details outlined on both a hard copy and soft copy so nothing can be missed by your contractors. And I mean get granular," she writes.
#25
Smooth Brain Craftsmanship
#26
Stringline Was Blowing In The Wind
David 3 weeks ago
This is sometimes intentionally done. It's not a style I like, but I've seen stuff like this on otherwise well built buildings. Like they are trying to be 'edgy' or something. For those old enough to remember - another style I never liked that was popular some years ago was the 'used brick' look.
#27
The Plumber Left A Little Booby Trap Over Here At The Condo I’m Renovating.. All Live. Ready To Rock And Roll The Second This Metal Door Opens Up Too Wide
She gives an example of over-communication with your painters. "If you ask for closets to be painted, outline each closet's location, color, difference in wall vs. ceiling vs trim paint colors, and the number of total closets that should be painted. You don't want anything to be overlooked."
#28
New Roofing Style
#29
Mint
Lew k 3 weeks ago
Lol need stairs today. Sadly not even in the top 20 redneck engineering marvel I've seen in trailer parks. There's one i pass all the time that is a RV, not a trailer but actual drivable unit that they've cut the side out of and built an addition onto out of plywood that is twice the size of the rv. Its all attached but the rv is still sitting on wheels but clearly not movable anymore. I'm just waiting for the day the tires go flat and the whole thing shifts.
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What do you think ?
Sara Anderson 3 weeks ago
Continue reading...with premium? Um this s**t isn't that entertaining, my dude. You are lucky to get ad revenue from me. Don't be greedy.
Rick Seiden 3 weeks ago
So many of these make me think, "That's not how this works. That's not how any of this works."
Lorius Interruptus 2 weeks ago
I've blocked bored panda from my news feed. They want me to pay for stuff stolen directly from reddit? Are they paying the original content creators? Not a chance.
Christos Arvanitis 3 weeks ago
My guess is that a lot of these are DIY and/or third world poorer countries.
Kelly Scott 3 weeks ago
Been there, done that. Asked the (cheap) contractor to seed my lawn with orchard grass and wildflowers in the back and regular grass seed in the front. Somehow his helper mixed those up. OK, I can accept that, but be honest, for crying out loud. Don't tell me the bags (all dozen of two different kinds) were mislabeled, refuse to offer to fix anything, and then wonder why I'm having a professional come in and reseed.
Sara Anderson 3 weeks ago
Continue reading...with premium? Um this s**t isn't that entertaining, my dude. You are lucky to get ad revenue from me. Don't be greedy.
Rick Seiden 3 weeks ago
So many of these make me think, "That's not how this works. That's not how any of this works."
Lorius Interruptus 2 weeks ago
I've blocked bored panda from my news feed. They want me to pay for stuff stolen directly from reddit? Are they paying the original content creators? Not a chance.
Christos Arvanitis 3 weeks ago
My guess is that a lot of these are DIY and/or third world poorer countries.
Kelly Scott 3 weeks ago
Been there, done that. Asked the (cheap) contractor to seed my lawn with orchard grass and wildflowers in the back and regular grass seed in the front. Somehow his helper mixed those up. OK, I can accept that, but be honest, for crying out loud. Don't tell me the bags (all dozen of two different kinds) were mislabeled, refuse to offer to fix anything, and then wonder why I'm having a professional come in and reseed.
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