Have you ever done a home improvement project and realized that had you prepared BEFORE the project, the headaches DURING, as well as the results AFTER made you want to hire a professional the next time? Ahem…we all have done this at least once, admit it!
Don’t throw in the towel just yet. Proper planning before will make all the difference. In this blog I have listed some common mistakes homeowners (myself included) tend to make in home improvement projects that are similar to pool improvement projects.
Not getting a permit
You will want to make sure that you have the proper permits if they are required. The last thing you need is your municipality finding out you are performing work on your property with no permit. Please make sure to check your local NJ requirements.
Purchasing cheap material
“You get what you pay for”, need I really say anything more?
Not hiring a LICENSED & INSURED Contractor
Again, I know we all want to save money, so do I. However, I have seen that hiring a contractor that isn’t licensed or insured usually ends up costing way more in the end when (not if) something goes wrong.
Not following Safety Precautions
You should always wear gloves, safety glasses and proper footwear as well as FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS when doing any home improvement project.
Failing to Stay within your Budget
Keep your initial budget realistic, I mean you wouldn’t expect to buy a Bentley for the price of a Hyundai would you? ALWAYS have a bit of cushion room, but don’t go beyond that! Labor is usually the largest part of that, so if you need extra help, plan for it.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES’
Any project you plan, ask yourself ” How much equity might this add when I sell?” Some homeowners forget to ask themselves this and instead want to go bigger & better than the neighbor. THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION, there is no winner! There is only so much value in a neighborhood to go around. You do not want the biggest, most expensive house on the block as it can only ever be worth an average amount of local homes, this also goes for you pool. Example, in my old neighborhood we had homes ranging from 2900 sq ft to over 5000 sq ft. Every house had a pool and most had the landscaped patio’s to go with them. A couple of the larger homes went crazy with pool houses, grotto’s, lighting, etc. In the end the smaller homes whom didn’t go overboard saw a much larger return on their investment than the homes who went all out.
I hope that this blog has helped at least some of you in not making these common mistakes and GOOD LUCK!
