Using a Power Washer Incorrectly
People love their power washers. They get them and immediately go nuts. But this proves extremely bad for the house, because just one use of a power washer incorrectly can cause damage to the paving tiles and in some cases the window seals.
Skipping Attic Inspections
Even if you don’t plan to use your attic, you should be up there checking it, because it’s still a vital part of the house. Unnoticed pests, mold, or leaks in the attic can silently cause thousands in damage, devastating your bank account.
Check Delivery Options
People don’t think of checking this before they move to a new house, but they should. Always made sure that delivery services will come to your house! If you live in a remote area, you could be sentencing yourself to life without DoorDash or Instacart.
Painting Over Mold
You’d think people would know by now not to do this, but some still do. Painting over mold won’t do anything to stop the mold and will just make your house worse. If you feel like you can’t deal with the mold yourself, call a professional.
Buying in a HOA
Homeowner’s Associations are the bane of existence for a lot of people. They buy the house and suddenly realize they’re subject to a lot of rules about paint colors, garden decorations and so on. These days, a HOA is a no-go for a lot of people.
Buying Near a Golf Course
Heed this warning from reddit user chronic_insomniac. "I bought a townhouse on a beautiful golf course. The views from my home are magnificent, but they are out there before dawn seven days a week doing maintenance. The biggest, loudest equipment I’ve ever seen (or heard) plus weed trimmers and blowers. I don’t golf, so the maintenance never crossed my mind when buying this place."
Not Checking Before You Strim
Using your strimmer to cut grass and weeds? Great! But be sure to check the area for stones before you get down to business. Many people have accidentally caught a stone with the strimmer, causing the stone to fly off and break a window. That’s an expensive mistake.
Flushing Wipes
Now, it’s time to talk toilets. Without going into detail, many people prefer the wet wipes to toilet paper… but then they flush them down the toilet and block up their pipes. Unfortunately, sometimes even the ones marked “flushable” aren’t actually flushable.
Not Repainting Your Wood
Some wooden things need painting every so often to keep them from rotting, but homeowners don’t always realize this until it’s too late. You should frequently repaint all your wooden fences, doors etc just to be sure.
Storing Too Much in the Attic
Yeah, an attic is a great storage solution… up to a point. Start storing too much in it, and you may find that the ceiling joists are starting to strain. Plus, keeping too much junk in your attic is a fire hazard as well.
Attempting to Do the Work of a Professional
Reddit user StunButton wrote in a thread that their costly mistake was, “Deciding to paint our own kitchen cabinets and install our laminate countertops ourselves. They aren't holding up at all, and wish we had just spent some money for a professional job."
Not Checking if You’re in a Flood Zone
There’s nothing worse than buying a house in a flood zone, but some people get trapped in one. If you’re looking for a house and you encounter a cheap one in a flood zone, avoid it. It’s not going to be worth it.
Not Asking the Right Questions
Redditor FancyUmpire8023 wrote that their worst mistake as a homeowner was, "Not asking what the random hose above the sump pump was for. Three basement floods, two check valves, and a new sump pump later: an electrician asks why we have an open hose running from the basement into our shed and then into the ground.”
Waiting to Replace Old Appliances
Sometimes, people hold off on replacing their old appliances, because they just don’t have the money. However, it’s definitely worth scraping the cash together to replace anything that’s particularly rickety, because it could be wasting energy and thus money.
Digging in the Yard
Many people dig in their yard without calling 811 first, hit a water main, and end up causing an entire paycheck’s worth of damage. Always make sure to contact the relevant people before digging, or you could end up in legal trouble.
Planting Trees Too Close to the House
So maybe you’re a tree lover? But you should beware when it comes to actually planting them around your property, because the roots can damage foundations, and falling limbs can destroy roofs or siding. Maybe consider hiring a professional.
Not Staying on Top of Things
Maybe the wallpaper is peeling, but you ignore it. Then you spill something on the carpet and get a nasty stain, but you ignore it. Then suddenly, you want to sell the house and all those little things add up. Always fix problem as soon as they arise.
Ignoring Running Water Noises
Never, ever ignore the sound of running water in a home. That was a mistake made by reddit user LCK124. “We just shrugged and figured it was one of those weird things where you could hear the water in the pipes. Nope. Three days later my mom came to visit, heard the noise, opened the hatch to the six or seven foot high crawl space we forgot we had, and discovered our brand new indoor wading pool courtesy of a busted outdoor spigot that we didn’t know to winterize.”
Overlooking Gutter Cleaning
Cleaning the gutters is an annoying and difficult job, but it must be done. Clogged gutters cause water to back up, damaging roofs, siding, and even maybe your basement. If you really don’t want to clean your gutter yourself, hire someone to do it for you.
Using Harsh Cleaners on Surfaces
Before you start cleaning your kitchen, make sure you’ve done your research to acertain which cleaners can be used on which surfaces. Certain chemicals can strip finishes, stain counters, or even corrode appliances over time.
Starting Too Many DIY Projects at Once
This mistake was posted to reddit by user richardelmore: “Started too many DIY projects at the same time, demoed. a bathroom for remodel, removed doors from kitchen cabinets to be replaced, started removing wallpaper we didn't like, removed old beat-up base trim, etc. Result was we felt like we were living in renovation project for several years.”
Using Interior Paint Outside
So you’ve found the right color for your house. Congratulations! But you need to make absolutely sure the paint you chose is suitable for use outside. If not, it’ll crack and fade, and then you have to do the whole thing over again.
Not Rid of Popcorn Ceilings Properly
Let’s face it, no-one likes a popcorn ceiling. Some homeowners make it their first priority to get rid of theirs… but then they give up halfway through, leaving them with a bizarre “half-popcorn” ceiling.
Not Getting an Extra Room During Renovations
Reddit user Imrindar posted this one: “We became enamored with a vaulted ceiling in the open concept living/dining/kitchen area when the other option was an additional room over the garage. Hindsight being 20/20, I'd live with a 10 foot ceiling and take the extra room.”
Cutting Down Trees by Yourself
This one isn’t just dangerous to your house, it could be dangerous to your life as well. Never, ever cut down a tree on your property unless you absolutely know what you’re doing. It could fall on your house and destroy it… or it could fall on you and kill you.
Installing Laminate Flooring
Some people really don’t like laminate flooring. “Water spills not wiped up within 2-3 minutes cause it to swell and buckle. Anything beyond a small repair requires reinstallation of the entire room,” wrote reddit user frugal_lothario.
Not Checking the Paint Colors Thoroughly
Be very careful when buying a lot of paint – make sure it’s absolutely the paint color that you want. Certain greys may actually be blacks, and the other way around. You can always ask the paint shop for a sample to take home.
Not Testing Smoke and CO2 Detectors
This is another thing that could genuinely put your life in danger if neglected. Make sure your smoke and CO2 detectors always have batteries, and test them regularly. If there’s an emergency, you will need them to alert you.
Disregarding Local Building Codes
If you’re building, say, a shed on your property, you need to check with your local council first to make sure you can actually do it. If not, you could be looking at a drawn-out legal process after which you’ll probably have to tear down the shed anyway.
Choosing Cheap DIY Materials
When people move into their first house, they often look for the cheapest possible options for DIY. Don’t do it! Always spring for the most expensive DIY materials, because cheap ones won’t do the job properly.
Under-Budgeting
When budgeting for DIY repairs, always make sure you go over what you think it will cost, not under. Tools break, things turn out to be more complex than you imagined, and you’ll almost definitely spend more money than you intended.
Not Using Protective Equipment
Think of all the dust that gets brought up when making repairs to your new house. You don’t want all that in your lungs, do you? Before you get started on anything new, make sure you have a respirator, gloves and goggles at the very least.
Not Considering Accessibility
Many a person has failed to consider accessibility for disabled people when buying a house. For example, if your only toilet is on the second floor, that means no-one in a wheelchair will be able to visit you.
Not Making Absolutely Sure You Want Those Tiles
You’d be surprised at how often this happens. People buy new tiles on a whim, have them installed, and then decide they don’t want them. Then it’s an expensive and time-consuming process having them replaced.
Not Being Careful With the Paint
Nothing is worse than buying a new house, going to paint a room, and spilling paint all over the new walls and floors. Always have drop cloths down, and never balance your paint on the top of a ladder.
