Yes, You Can Make It through Your Home Renovation without Divorcing Your Partner
Happy family means happy renovation
“During big projects, I turn off the saw one or two days of the week to reacquaint myself with the family. It may take a few days longer to finish, but I won’t have to sleep on the couch.” – Brian Barger “During a recent project, I spent the early evening with my family, tucked my girls into bed, and worked from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. I lost some sleep, but this kept the family happy.” – Ben Kim Patience! “My wife doesn’t work with tools every day, so she doesn’t know one saw from another. You have to be ready to explain things a lot.” – Mark T. Platte “If mama isn’t happy, nobody is happy.” – Charlie Marken
Take advice from a wise contractor
“Be sure you and your spouse are on the same page. Don’t even start the remodel if you’re not. Trust me—if you can’t decide on things up front when it’s calm, you certainly won’t be able to when the clock’s ticking, the workers are standing around, and the pressure’s really on! “Know your budget. A fight over the remodeling budget was the biggest argument I ever saw, and there’s no way for the contractor to fix it. “Make three lists: Must Have, Would Like If Possible, and Optional. Keep as much of List 1 as you can, because that’s why you’re remodeling. Keep 10 to 25 percent of List 2, depending on budget. Toss all of List 3.” – Paul Bianchini
Don’t forget to laugh
“We decided to strip and refinish our kitchen cabinets during a heat wave with 90-plus degree temperatures and 90 percent humidity in a house with no air conditioning. As the sweat was pouring down, and the fumes were burning our eyes and skin, I looked over at my wife and said, ‘This is more fun than sex!’ We both laughed and got back to work.” – Ed Stawicki “What doesn’t cause you to divorce doing DIY projects, just gives you great stories to laugh about for years after.” – Jordan Van Moorleghem If you and your spouse can laugh together, it’s a good sign!
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