Podcast for Homeowners Preparing to Renovate
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04: Remodeling Horror Stories - 3 Things to Avoid in Your Home Renovation
The 3 Renovation Mistakes That Cause Budget Blowups —and How to Avoid Them
If you’ve spent any time at all researching remodeling, you’ve probably heard the horror stories.
Budgets that spiral out of control.
Contractors who disappear mid-project.
Renovations that take twice as long as promised and cost far more than expected.
At some point, it almost feels like that’s just part of the deal — that renovations are supposed to be stressful, chaotic, and unpredictable.
But here’s the truth:
Most renovation horror stories come from the same three mistakes — and they are completely avoidable.
In this episode of Preparing for Your Home Remodel, I break down the three most common mistakes homeowners make when starting a renovation and explain exactly why they lead to projects going sideways.
Let’s walk through them….
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Mistake #1: Not Properly Vetting Your Contractor
This is the biggest mistake I see — and it’s where so many renovation horror stories begin.
Most homeowners hire a contractor based on one thing:
the estimate.
You call a few contractors, get a few numbers, compare them, and pick the one that feels right — often the one that’s lower, or at least “reasonable.”
But choosing a contractor based on price alone is risky.
There is so much more to hiring the right contractor than the number at the bottom of the estimate.
I recently watched a situation unfold where a contractor appeared responsible, communicative, and professional. He started the job, purchased materials, and reassured the homeowners when a weather event destroyed part of the build.
And then he disappeared.
Completely ghosted them.
What they didn’t know — and what a little deeper digging would have revealed — was that this contractor had a history of doing exactly this. He simply created new LLCs each time problems arose and moved on to new clients.
That’s why vetting matters.
Before you hire anyone, you should:
Verify that their license is active
Confirm they are bonded and insured
Look into how long they’ve been in business
Ask for references — and ask real questions, not just “Was everything great?”
A contractor doesn’t have to be perfect. No one is.
But you need to know who you’re trusting with your home, your money, and your sanity.
Mistake #2: Not Building a Buffer Into Your Budget
Here’s something I can say with complete confidence:
There will be change orders.
Not because someone did something wrong — but because renovations are full of unknowns.
You don’t know what’s behind the walls until you open them.
You don’t know what’s under the floors until they’re removed.
You don’t know what was improperly installed 20 years ago until you uncover it.
If your entire budget is spent on the initial estimate, every surprise becomes a crisis.
That’s why I always recommend planning for a buffer — typically around 20% of your total renovation budget.
That buffer protects you from:
Hidden water damage or dry rot
Missed items in the scope of work
Necessary upgrades discovered mid-project
Optional additions you want to make once you see the space evolving
When the buffer exists, change orders don’t feel terrifying.
They feel expected.
And if you don’t use it?
Amazing — you just came in under budget.
But in my experience, every renovation uses at least part of that buffer. Planning for it upfront removes an enormous amount of stress.
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Mistake #3: Starting Demo Without a Clear Plan
This one is my hill to die on.
Design before demo. Always.
I’ve seen this happen countless times:
Contractor is hired
Demo is scheduled
Kitchen is torn out
Then the questions start
“Where do you want to get your tile?”
“Which countertop are you choosing?”
“What hardware are you using?”
Suddenly, you’re making rushed decisions under pressure — decisions you’ll live with every day.
When there’s no clear design plan before demo, several things happen:
Budgets balloon due to vague allowances
Timelines stretch because decisions aren’t ready
Stress skyrockets because everything feels urgent
Allowances are especially dangerous. They are assumptions, not real numbers. If your selections exceed the allowance (which they often do), your budget increases — but it rarely goes down if you choose something cheaper.
Without a detailed scope of work and finalized selections, your estimate is never truly accurate.
And once something has been demolished?
There’s no going back.
You lose the ability to scale back thoughtfully or adjust priorities — because the materials are already gone.
That’s why I repeat this constantly:
You must know exactly what you’re doing, how much it costs, and where your buffer is before demo begins.
The Bottom Line
Renovations don’t have to be chaotic.
They don’t have to destroy your budget or your peace of mind.
Most horror stories come from:
Hiring the wrong contractor
Not planning for the unknown
Starting construction without a clear plan
When you slow down, plan intentionally, and prepare properly, remodeling becomes manageable — even enjoyable.
That’s exactly what I’m here to help you do.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start, you’re not behind — you just need the right framework.
🎧 Listen to this episode of Preparing for Your Home Remodel to learn how to avoid these common mistakes and set your renovation up for success.
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