20 Things I Wish I Knew About Home Improvements When I Was 20

Over the past few decades, I’ve lived in more than a dozen places, bought and sold homes, and remodeled/renovated more places than I care to recall.  Along the way, I learned a lot – sometimes at great expense and at other times through trial and error.  Looking back, I wish I had a quick guide to alert me to issues so I compiled the following list:

1. When putting down carpet, make sure the carpet is wide enough to ensure there are no seams.  Ditto for artificial turf outdoors. Always have the carpet company come and measure.
2. Make sure there is a contrast, however slight, between the paint on a wall and crown molding.
3. Make sure a rug under a dining table is large enough that the chairs can fully pull out and still be on the rug.
4. When buying a product that needs to be installed, always ask for the “A” team (tell them you’ll wait); don’t settle for the “B” or “C” team as the workmanship is usually inferior.
5. Don’t let landscapers use a weed whacker near a fence. The weed whacker will take the paint off and chip the fence.
6. Make sure rug pads come within 1 inch of the end of the rug (less and the rug will develop an unsightly bump; more and the rug pad will be visible).
7. When buying real estate always check where streams, rivers, and other water sources are in relation to the property.  Pay attention to the flood risk. Consider buying flood, wind, and mudslide insurance.
8. Inspect all contractor work and be on site when work is being done.  Don’t accept inferior work.
9. Kitchen cabinets should exist to serve a purpose and store items efficiently.  Make sure a drawer designed to hold plastic wrap, aluminum foil, plastic and paper bags is high enough to fit these boxed items.  Cabinets can visually look attractive from the exterior and be a functional disaster in the interior.
10. Bathroom sink cabinets need to have interiors that work around the pipes to avoid wasted unused space.
11. Use trays to organize toiletries on counter tops.
12. Don’t hire an inspector through a real estate agent.  Hire an inspector who can solely represent your interests.
13. Always ask how old the roof is and if shingled, what type of shingles are on the roof. Have the roof inspected by a roofer of your choosing.
14. Always emphasize the drain pan of a newly installed HVAC system be installed at the correct angle (1/2 inch off can result in water accumulation in the pan which could trigger the new system to shut down).
15. Make sure gutters (0.32 gauge preferable) are installed and  attached to rafters and not just to the fascia. Have leaf guards installed.
16. A shingled roof will not work for any roof that has a pitch of less than 2 inches (per foot). Although a roofer may tell you that a water and ice shield can be installed beneath the shingle, opt instead for a metal roof.
17. Have rugs and upholestry cleaned at least once a year.
18. Always look at the walls around windows and the ceilings (for water damage) when looking at a house.
19. Open random windows to ensure the interior of the window frames were painted.
20. Don’t underestimate the value of a faux plant.  High quality faux plants are expensive but look incredible and last for decades.