What NOT to do?

[ddawg16]

A lot of good info in this forum.....I'm really enjoying it.

So....how about a list of "What NOT to do"? Or, "If I were to do it again, I would NOT do xxxx".

Contractors, construction, materials, design, ect.....what ever went wrong.

There is a lot to be learned from others by the mistakes made....share them so we don't make them.

 

[Printer Mike]

The biggest mistake I have made in DIY projects is not having a clear understanding or vision of the finished project.

Result: A lot of extra work and materials to make the project "right."

To avoid this, I try very hard to not start the project before I'm comfortable/famaliar with what's involved.

 

[kbs2244]

Money and time.
We all underestimate both.

 

[ddawg16]

Money and time.
We all underestimate both.

THAT would be #1

Scope would be #2

Down on the list I would put dirt....every project I have done has always involved more mess and dirt than I expected. As any of you guys that have done kitchen remodels would attest to....dirt was a major issue.

Well...here is one that would be somewhere on the list....don't try to do concrete work with 3 little ones running around while moma is at a confrence.....one wants to put the water on the concrete mix....the other one wants to mix it....but not until they fight over who gets to put on the water.....then my little 2 year old (going on 10) daughter wants to step in everything.....all the while both boys are asking 1000 questions.......

I need a beer.....

 

[vette-kid]

THAT would be #1

Scope would be #2

Down on the list I would put dirt....every project I have done has always involved more mess and dirt than I expected. As any of you guys that have done kitchen remodels would attest to....dirt was a major issue.

Well...here is one that would be somewhere on the list....don't try to do concrete work with 3 little ones running around while moma is at a confrence.....one wants to put the water on the concrete mix....the other one wants to mix it....but not until they fight over who gets to put on the water.....then my little 2 year old (going on 10) daughter wants to step in everything.....all the while both boys are asking 1000 questions.......

I need a beer.....

 

[Printer Mike]

Memories for the kids.......priceless!

 

[rancherbill]

.....all the while both boys are asking 1000 questions.......

I don't know about you, but, I'd just read "Concrete for Dummies" the night before and only knew about 50 answers. So, for the other 950 I just BSed. "Go talk to you mother" was not an option.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Don't ever use MDF around the slightest moisture,You'll regret it!!

 

[timgr]

Never miss the opportunity to bury extra conduit in an open trench.

 

[Will67]

The biggest mistake I have made in DIY projects is not having a clear understanding or vision of the finished project.

This is what got me! I waste a few thousand dollars in design/plan fees with my architect/engineer and cut down several trees that did not need to come down.

I went through the whole dang permit process (which where I live in a PITA) which took over 5 months. I get to the point of laying out my footings with spray paint/chalk a day before I planned on renting a small bob-cat backhoe to dig them with. My father comes over to help and comments on how much of my yard will become inaccessible after the garage is built... He states why not add a carport so you can drive through from one side to other side of yard? #$%^#$%#%@@ Yeah dad you are right again.

Another was allowing Architect to talk me into a partition wall versus clear span TJIs for second floor.

Well in second revision I stuck to my guns and took out partition wall and have added a carport. This F-up of not envisioning the final "product" cost me $$$$ and delayed building a year. Not to mention the fun of going through the permit process again.


The second time around I made a detailed drawing (to scale) of my parcel and home as it sits on the lot (in aerial view), and then I laid out my proposed garage on it along with all the large stationary items that would be housed in the garage I also added scaled drawings of my vehicles to see if they would fit. This exercise took several attempts to fit the garage and carport “attached” to home within required setbacks set by my County.

 

[tatra]

drink before and during any project...........before, anything is possible and during, "good enough" becomes the norm................and by the time after comes, well the beer is already gone so you have nothing to reward yourself for your "brilliant" ideas that are good enough til tommorrow, when the cycle starts all over again...............

 

[e-tek]

drink before and during any project...........before, anything is possible and during, "good enough" becomes the norm................and by the time after comes, well the beer is already gone so you have nothing to reward yourself for your "brilliant" ideas that are good enough til tommorrow, when the cycle starts all over again...............

Funny, that's the reason I use for NEVER MAKING MISTAKES - my Garage is PERFECT!! (Well, I could use a bigger recycling container)....hick! (Excuse me.)

 

[ddawg16]

Under estimated how many bags of concrete I needed....had to load up the kids and get 4 more from Home Depot (remember, wife is gone all day)....

Nothing like pushing 3 kids and 4 90lb bags of concrete all over the store....while yelling at them to "keep your legs up".....

Got the rest of it poured....ran out of beer...time for dinner (kids are yelling "I'm hungry"....oh wait, Rum an Diet Pepsi....that will work......all is well now.......

What Not to Do, Item #3 - Concrete....pay someone else to do it.....

 

[Brad54]

Do not, under any circumstances, start working on projects in the shop until the shop is FINISHED.
I knew this, and did it anyway. Everybody I know with a shop has done this, and nobody has a finished shop because of it.

-Brad

 

[Wardster]

I wish I would have went bigger.

-Wardster

 

[ovilla]

Lumber - DO NOT buy lumber unless you are going to use it right away. My "scrap" pile now includes a TON of warped 2x4's and 2X6's that I spent most likely hours ensuring I had gotten the straightest ones from the pile. Now I know why a lot of folks just buy steel 2X4's. It seems like whenever I buy lumber during the week for a weekend project, there's always something else that comes up. Then the following weekend something else comes up again. Now I buy lumber on Saturday morning, right before I start my project.

Plumbing - Don't buy just what you need for the job. Buy plenty of extras and skip buying individual pieces - always buy the big bag if possible. I'm sure I've burned a couple of tanks with all of the numerous trips back and forth to Depot and Menards looking for another fitting. Nowadays, I just buy a lot of what I think I need and make sure I leave it in the bag (so I know what store I'll be returning it to).

Tool Purchases - Don't leave new tool boxes or packaging out in plain sight. I learned this one a while ago. No need to get the wife irritated by leaving this stuff out, especially when you both agreed to follow the budget more closely and watch the spending. I always buy what I need and quickly dispose of all packaging material. She never knows if a tool is brand new or if it's been in my tool chest for years.

Omar

 

[Old Moparz]

Once the "bigger" garage is done, stay out of the classified ads & off ebay, or the "bigger" garage will become "smaller" again.

 

[michael Mccoy]

[



Well...here is one that would be somewhere on the list....don't try to do concrete work with 3 little ones running around while moma is at a confrence.....one wants to put the water on the concrete mix....the other one wants to mix it....but not until they fight over who gets to put on the water.....then my little 2 year old (going on 10) daughter wants to step in everything.....all the while both boys are asking 1000 questions.......

You will miss this when they are grown, enjoy it while they are there, mine is 46 now and couldn't give a rats ***

 

[rwhite692]

.... I always buy what I need and quickly dispose of all packaging material. She never knows if a tool is brand new or if it's been in my tool chest for years....

Words to live by!

 

[e-tek]

Do not, under any circumstances, start working on projects in the shop until the shop is FINISHED.
I knew this, and did it anyway. Everybody I know with a shop has done this, and nobody has a finished shop because of it.

-Brad

Agree totally - haven't painted my walls or Epoxied my floor because I started projects and pinning up signs...now it would be a huge job to clear everything to do either. (I actually have the Epoxy too).

 

[Bad Brad777]

I'd go deeper on the bays and a higher ceiling and doors. My ceiling is 14', the doors 12'. Two more feet higher on both would allow for almost any trailer to be parked inside.