Home Renovation Disasters That Could Wreck Your Budget

One of the complicated construction services is home renovation yet many still venture on this money guzzling project. They invest blood, sweat, tears and millions of cash in the hopes of improving their living space, fattening up their bank accounts and hunting down the best contractor in town.

However, it is not simple as find, pay, voila! This is especially true if you’re new in the lair of home renovations. Keep in mind that renovating a house is like a tricky business deal. Yes, treat it as a business deal. And just like any business transactions, it is a gamble you must bravely face but with tons of caution along the way. Or better yet, read below some of the renovation nightmares we’ve compiled to have a sneak preview of what you should avoid before signing that contract:

Renovations are never environment-friendly

In Real Simple,

“Don’t underestimate how much construction dust will permeate the rest of your living spaces through the air and ducts. Remove valuable objects from the walls or displays so you’re not having to micro-clean, and seal off any closets that contain clothes, linens, and food.” – Deborah Fairchild


Any types of construction services could trigger one or two of these: air, water, or land pollution. Construction work is a messy business so you better talk with your contractor how they’re going to deal with it before they tear down a part of your house. This shouldn’t be overlooked especially if you decid to stay in while the work is ongoing because the health of your family could be at risk.

A big expensive surprise behind the old tiles

From This Old House,

“When we moved into our new house, we know that we wanted to renovate the bathroom… Thinking we could do this on our tight budget, we got started. That was when everything went downhill. When we started removing the tub surround we found tile behind it. (It is just a small delay, they say.) But behind the tile… the entire wall, including the insulation had rotted away! We were eventually forced to gut the entire bathroom… Triple the cost later, we have a functional bathroom.” – Gwenna Gundy


Welcome to the world of the unknown. It would not have been unknown in the first place if you just hired a home inspector before you peel away that section of your house. Ask someone to assess everything or you will end up having a bathroom thrice the original cost.

Pets are not allowed during renovation

A story from Bankrate,

“While enduring a kitchen renovation, Angela Misri tells her contractor she can’t find her cat in the house. Jorge, the contractor, replies: “You have to find the cat, or it will end up in your drywall and dead. I know you think I’m exaggerating, but it happens.” (After a desperate search) Darwin had found a cozy dark spot to hide between the floorboards in the kitchen and the basement ceiling. Luckily, she was found before the contractor finished installing the floorboards.” – Angela Misri



Phew! Cat-astrophe avoided. Pets are sneaky. Better put them on a leash, inside a kennel or do whatever it takes to keep them away from the renovation site. This situation doesn’t only apply to pets. Termites chomping on your wall? Exterminate them. Mold growing on roof, windows or drywall? Deal with them too, before renovation even begins.


The list goes on but we decided to stop here because we might scare you away from your home renovation dream. House improvement mistakes like these could be avoided when you do your homework first, get advice from the experts, and be realistic on your expectations. Be extra careful in making decisions because construction services are expensive as it is but mistakes will multiply the cost exponentially. More importantly, never let your pet out of your sight.