Shocking I know...Let me explain further...
1) HGTV shows make remodels look easy and painless, weekend handyman be warned...If there is something that will go wrong it will....Costing you more money, time and of course your sanity and the sanity of those around you.
2) HGTV shows make remodels look like they are done with a wiggle of the nose (remember Samantha from Bewitched?) Those shows have large crews who planned everything out months in advance and have you heard of editing? What is a wiggle of the nose to us takes time behind the scenes.
3) HGTV shows make remodels look inexpensive. I love it when I watch one of those shows and at the end they will say something like, "and this room only cost $1,000.00 to complete"...Who are they kidding? Most of those shows don't factor in the lots of free product, labor, etc.
That said, I do love having first meetings with clients, because most of them really have a pretty good grasp on design elements already, which in turn make my job easier. Clients nowadays seem a lot more open and willing to experiment or step out of their comfort zones and I think it's because of shows on HGTV.
So at the end of the day, I think it's important to walk into your remodel with your eyes wide open and not be lulled by HGTV magic. Be prepared and buttoned up with your crew; ie: Architect; Designer; Contractor, BEFORE moving forward, I promise you will have a lot better experience that way.
Now back to my HGTV show...Ha!
11 comments:
I agree, I think HGTV shows are a blessing and a curse, especially with unrealistic information on costs and time. Luckily, I haven't had a client in a long time that thought it was "just like on TV"!
They are great for entertainment and inspiration ... but a bit low for reality!
Visiting from SITS :)
True. True. My issue is all the tools and equipment at no cost.
lol I don't have a home to remodel, but I can't imagine.
Stopping by from SITS :)
I love that all of the shows and the blogs have opened up more people to the idea of what a home can be and that decorating can be democratic. But I dislike how these shows and blogs can sometimes make people feel inadequate about what their homes actually are when they don't have the resources/skills/time necessary to make even minor DIY-type updates. I think in the US we've entered a very looks-conscious phase overall.
So true! I don’t know how many times we’ve watched an HGTV show and said we wanted to remodel something...at which point we call our handyman! It will inevitably cost less time and money having him do it!
Great advice! I don't know how many do it yourself projects my husband and I have done. Every project always goes over budget and takes more than planned.
There is a show on one of those DIY channels called "Renovation Realities" that my husband and I really like because it gives you a glimpse of what REAL renovations and projects look like. And even still it is just a small glimpse, but at least there isn't a host or team of people doing everything for you... it's just you and usually another person (spouse, family member, friend) doing all the work and suffering all the consequences of bad choices!
Visiting you from SITS. :)
Marie,
So true. I have been running a remodeling series on my blog for the entire summer. We are now into week 16, and still have a minimum of three weeks to go if not a few more. I started the series so that homeowners who are considering a remodel can see in real time, how long it takes, all the hiccups that pop up, on site decisions and budget dollars.
We're starting a remodel, mostly DIY, and it takes a lot more time and effort than we expected. I'm enjoying learning about everything, but -- WOW -- its really a lot of work. HGTV is good for inspiration, but you need to "dose" it in limited quantities since its not realistic.
so true! that always annoys me when hgtv makes remodels seem cheap - they never factor in labor!!
thanks for stopping by my SITS feature today. i'm your newest follower
cheers,
cailen
www.lifestylemaven.org
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