DIY Continued from Page 4S
A realistic look at renovation
|
HGTV approached the Marrses in 2016 for a concept that would follow their remodeling journey . “ Fixer to Fabulous ” is now in its fifth season .
Part of what has made the show so popular is the couple ’ s down-to-earth approach and the fact that they don ’ t sugarcoat it when problems arise — like discovering that a leaking fridge flooded a home ’ s crawl space with eight inches of water . Even as experienced home renovators , unexpected situations frequently arise , a great example for people thinking of tackling a home renovation on their own .
“ I would start by telling anyone , even someone with experience , to hire a
|
home inspector ,” Dave Marrs said . “ I still hire home inspectors . They ’ re not that expensive , but it ’ s another set of eyes to look at the project , and make sure you ’ re not missing anything .”
Even after 20 years in the home renovation business , they say there will always be unexpected challenges that pop up , but that going in with as much information as possible can mitigate and lessen the blow of discovering something once a remodel is already underway . It ’ s also a good idea to make a plan , and if you ’ re out of your depth on a renovation project , don ’ t be afraid to call in a professional .
“ There are times when I feel like I ’ m overwhelmed with a project , and I need to throw in the towel . If you ’ re going to pay a lot of money on a project , call in an architect , because having a plan and executing it will make all the difference ,” Dave Marrs said . “ At the end of the day , a house is just sticks and bricks . You can
|
change things . You can fix problems . If a remodel is starting to impact your relationship , it might be time to hire a pro .”
When it comes to finding a professional contractor , Dave Marrs thinks the best way is still word of mouth , asking neighbors and people you trust for references . He also advises getting a few different people to bid on the project so you have options and feel comfortable .
“ Building is like any other industry . You can look at it as the three points on a triangle : fast , good , and cheap ,” he says . “ You can ’ t pick all three — you can pick two of them — if you want it cheap , it ’ s probably going to be fast , but it probably won ’ t be good .”
Then , there are Instagram DIYers that inevitably give followers fear of missing out .
Jenny Marrs reminds people that they shouldn ’ t use what they ’ re seeing on so-
See DIY , Page 8S
|
HGTV ’ s “ Fixer to Fabulous ” hosts Dave and Jenny Marrs . SUBMITTED PHOTO |