November 19, 2003
Lessons Learned from This Old House
If you have eveer seen This Old House on TV, you may have been amazed at the incredible professionalism and scale of their projects. The projects they take on are not your average homeowner-type, do-it-yourself remodel.
I've loved watching TOH since I was a kid and TOH was a New England only, non-syndicated show on WGBH in Boston. The on-site workmanship was incredible, the show was fun to watch, and it was often more interesting and engaging than the cartoons on during the same time slot. Anyway, I recently began subscribing to This Old House magazine, and I've enjoyed the stories, tips, and gawking at the remodelling projects that cost more than my current home.
I was glad to see that even the professionals on TOH learned some of their lessons in the school of hard knocks, just like the rest of us. In a recent issue (some of which is now available online) the TOH folks recount stories of lessons learned the hard way. I'm happy to say that the hard lessons I have learned have gone a long way in teaching me both what TO do and what NOT to do in home improvement. The list is too long to write, but I'll say this:
Plan to go a little bit over budget (so plan accordingly), make sure you are using all the safety equipment (really), and get someone to help whenever you think you need it (not after the first accident or hernia has arrived).
It's easy to read up on how to do something (even if it is incredibly complex), but sometimes the application of the new knowledge is best tried out on a small scale. I love learning about home improvement, and I'm happy wih the knowledge that even the pros have done some pretty stupid things -- but that they learned enough from their experience that we don't (necessarily) have to do the same things they did. I'm also lucky enough to have a few very handy relatives who don't mind my questions, and who enjoy teaching me how to do things myself -- and who don't get angry when I need an over-the-phone lesson on how to light the pilot on the new waterheater at six in the morning.
Our next home improvement project will probably be updating our breezeway, stripping all the country-blue paint, refinishing the wood moulding and trimwork, and removing all the layers of wallpaper. We may wait until spring to start, however, since the breezeway is probably the most high-traffic area in the house. I guess that gives me plenty of time to plan, and several more issues of TOH to read before I start.