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19: The Top 4 Renovation Mistakes Costing Homeowners Thousands (And How to Avoid Them)
The Kitchen Remodel Money Mistakes That Cost Homeowners Thousands
Before you demo your kitchen—or completely fall in love with your Pinterest board—there are a few mistakes I see all the time that quietly blow renovation budgets.
And the scary part?
Most homeowners don’t even realize they’re making them.
In this episode of Preparing for Your Home Remodel, I’m breaking down the biggest money-saving mistakes I see again and again—and exactly how to avoid the regret, stress, and do-overs that come with them.
Because no one wants to redo work.
And I definitely don’t want that for you.
Why Renovation Budgets Go Off the Rails
Most budget problems don’t come from choosing “nice things.”
They come from starting without clarity.
When you don’t fully understand:
What your project actually involves
What it will realistically cost
Who you’re hiring and what they’re responsible for
You end up making decisions in the middle of construction—and those are the most expensive decisions you’ll ever make.
Let me show you where this usually goes wrong.
The 4 Biggest Money Mistakes I See Homeowners Make
These are all preventable.
But only if you slow down before construction starts.
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1.Jumping Into Demo Without a Clear Design Plan
Once you demo, there’s no undo button.
I worked with homeowners who wanted to add dormers to an attic bathroom to gain headroom. Contractors told them, “No problem!”—but bids were all over the place.
Why?
Because they didn’t actually know what they were getting into.
Once we dug into the details, we realized:
Dormers were extremely expensive
A strategically placed window solved the problem for far less
The end result was something they loved without blowing the budget
If they had demoed first?
They would’ve been stuck spending money they didn’t plan for.
Design first = flexibility.
Demo first = expensive decisions under pressure.
2. Starting With Pinterest Instead of the Budget
I love Pinterest. I use Pinterest.
But inspiration should support your project—not lead it.
When aesthetics come first:
Budgets get ignored
Expectations become unrealistic
Overspending feels inevitable
The budget isn’t the boring part—it’s the thing that gives you peace at the end.
The correct order:
Budget
Design
Construction
When your budget leads, every decision is aligned—and you avoid that sinking feeling of “we spent way more than we planned.”
3. Not Knowing Who You’re Hiring
This is a big one—and an emotional one.
I shared a story about a homeowner who hired a contractor to build a pole barn. Mid-construction, it collapsed in a windstorm. The contractor ghosted him. Thousands of dollars gone.
What went wrong?
No real due diligence
A contractor with a pattern of failed projects and new licenses
There are amazing contractors out there—but you have to do more than accept a Facebook recommendation.
Always check:
Licensing, bonding, and insurance
How long they’ve been in business
Past work and references
Current projects you can visit
Hiring well saves money. Hiring poorly costs far more than just dollars.
4. Getting Estimates Without a Clear Scope of Work
This is where budgets quietly explode.
If your contractor doesn’t know exactly what you want done, they’ll:
Make assumptions
Use allowances
Leave things out
And all of that turns into change orders later.
A clear scope of work is a detailed list of everything:
What’s being replaced
What’s being painted
What’s staying
What materials and fixtures are being used
The more specific you are, the more accurate your estimate will be.
Surprises = expensive.
Clarity = protection for your wallet.
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The Real Reason These Mistakes Happen
Homeowners aren’t careless.
They’re excited—and eager to get started.
But slowing down before construction:
✔ Saves money
✔ Reduces stress
✔ Prevents regret
✔ Protects your sanity
You don’t have to rush to create a home you love.
My Biggest Takeaway
You don’t save money by cutting corners.
You save money by planning first.
Clarity before construction is the difference between:
A confident remodel
And one that constantly feels out of control
Want to Protect Your Budget (and Your Sanity)?
🎧 Listen to the full episode of Preparing for Your Home Remodel to hear:
Real client stories
How to avoid costly do-overs
The exact planning steps that save thousands
👉 Listen to the full episode now and start your remodel with clarity—not crossed fingers.
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