Well here it is. I can’t even begin to count the number of mistakes my friends, family and basic acquaintances have made in their home. It never ceases to amaze me that the most common repair or the most complicated can lead to some pretty disastrous mistakes. Big or small I thought it was about time to save all of my customers, fans, family and friends out there from making any more unforgiving mistakes. So here it is, my 25 Biggest Home Renovating Mistakes and how not to make them again!

25. Relying on Duct Tape - Duct tape seems like a convenient way to patch a hole in a screen or fix the drape of a hem that have come unraveled. Okay but only for a week until you have the time to actually replace the screen or stitch up the hem. And donate used duct tape to fix a leaky pipe. True, duct tape has waterproof properties, but its not meant to replace solder or new piping. The adhesive will eventually wear away and it generally happens at the worst possible moment, like when you’re preparing for a date or dinner party. The best place for duct tape is putting a piece over your spouses mouth when he or she starts complaining about the tile choice.

24. Overestimating The Payback installing 500 sink in the kitchen that does not add 10,000 value fancy blue crystal fringe A lot of people think that by using high-end basics, like a $1000 stainless steel sink, is going to pay them back ten fold. You usually end up losing money on upgrades like that buyers can’t tell the difference between expensive sinks and less expensive plumber issue versions. Same thing for really fancy fixtures and architectural details buy quality, yes, but if you put a $5000 custom made door on a ranch house in a mid-price neighborhood, buyers are going to slam it right in your face. They’re not going to pay extra for it. 

23. Inaccurate Measurements are funny when people count feet with their feet and they do it with their hands - Measure twice cut once is a truism but how you measure counts too. If you measure twice using your hands, feet, or a dollar bill, you’re going to be in trouble and potentially lose money by cutting expensive molding incorrectly. Think about it how many people do you know who have feet that are twelve inches long exactly? Use the best tape measures and rulers you can find for the best measurements.

22. Ignoring Lighting Needs When you see sconces on the wall, they have not been stuck up there with glue usually been hard wired. And that tiny round fixture in the center of the ceiling? It is not enough to properly light a room but table lamps don’t always do the trick in terms of adding necessary lighting. Always make sure you have your electrician wire rooms for multiple ceiling lights, wall sconces, and lots of outlets so you can expand and customize the lighting in a room, and change lighting fixture styles with ease.

21.Failing to Anticipate Chaos  - Many people do not realize how awful it can be to live through a renovation in the house that’s being changed. However dreadful you can imagine it to be multiple that by 100. It’s a nightmare, no matter how much preparation you do. The fridge is in the living room, you’re washing dishes in the bathtub and the cat has taken up residence in your makeshift bedroom pantry. If possible, live someplace else while work is being done on bathrooms and kitchens. If not, set up an auxiliary kitchen before work begins designate one room of the house for your fridge, microwave, and hotplate, and storage. Pack up the nonessentials in that room to keep clutter to a minimum. If you can afford to rent a house while work goes on, budget it into the overall renovation costs.

20.Tiny Bathrooms If you fail to create a big enough bathroom, your renovation will stink, literally. You’ve got to build in enough room to move, to handle guests, kids and pets. Make a list of everything you do in a bathroom aside from the obvious: make up application, dressing, bathing kids and pets, reading the newspaper and then plan accordingly. It’s ideal if you can create enough room for a shower, tub, toilet, double sinks, a chair or bench and freestanding or built in storage.

19.Unprepared Job Site Don’t cut corners on renovations and building projects. It can come back to haunt you in expensive ways. A friend of mine thought she could save money by painting her old wood floors without cleaning and sanding them first. The paint peeled off in the first week and she had to pay twice as much to have it removed and then have the floors prepared properly. 

18. Too Trendy - A fancy red bathroom sink with beaded fringe looks super cool in the showroom but can be laughable once you install it in your home. Covering your kitchen in crazy hand painted tile might be interesting for a year or so, but after a while it will start to drive you crazy. Add trendy colors with paint, not fixtures. Trends are great for accessories you can easily change, not so good for permanent hard to remove features. Your tastes change too think about it. When was the last time you wore big shoulder pads and purple metallic eye shadow? 1985? Neutral colors and classic materials should form the backdrop of your home. And consider that potential buyers probably do not share your taste.

17. Disregarding Your Existing Architecture – It’s not that you mix architectural styles just that if you want to add a modern addition to a more traditional house its really has to be designed by an architect who specializes in fusing styles. Otherwise, you’re going to be stuck with the neighborhood monstrosity. Play it safe and have additions designed to blend and match up with the style of your home. Same goes for adding windows and doors. A fancy carved Victorian door looks out of place on a contemporary glass house it doesn’t go with colonial architecture or ranch houses either.

16. Gutting Everything – It might seem tempting to start from scratch, but don’t go there you could go overboard and not being left with a house. Plus, you could be tossing out valuable materials that could have stayed in place or reused. A neighbor of mine gutted her kitchen and great room only to through out perfectly beautiful red oak flooring. Even if she did not want to use it in the great room it could have been repurposed for flooring in a bedroom or office. What a waste! By the same token, bathroom fixtures like antique sinks and tubs might be worth reconditioning replacement costs for cast iron or finely made porcelain can be really high. And you end up with something really unique, beautiful, high quality, and true to your home. 

15. Picking the Wrong Windows – Get the best windows you can afford, and choose stable durable materials. Clad wood and aluminum windows are great choices they are durable and their finish can last a lifetime. Don’t forget about window style match it to your homes look and its other windows. A modern window on a Victorian beauty looks out of place. Multi-paned windows are nice on traditional homes, but look silly when paired with contemporary architecture. It’s like wearing big bright orange plastic necklace with a high-necked lace blouse. Doesn’t work. 

14. Inadequate Preparation of Materials – I once worked on a job where the contractor left his building supplies outside overnight. Next day gone! The only thing he had left was the donuts he brought for the crew. There are people who make a career out of ripping off building sites. Never have any valuable materials delivered when you are not at home. If you cannot keep them in the house, make sure they can be placed in a locked shed or under a heavy-duty tarp not in plain view.

13. Using the Wrong Paint – Paint is always darker and brighter than it appears on the color chip. If you can, get a sample jar and paint a 4 foot by 4 foot test square in your room so you can live with it for a while and se how the color looks at different times or day and be careful with painting techniques. Some sponging jobs look like the dog got sick all over the room. And sometimes an accent wall can suck all the energy into one end of a room and leave the rest of the space looking depressing. That’s especially true when all your walls are really neutral and you paint one a really dark or bright color like all beige with one red wall. Better to have an accent wall in one shade darker or lighter than the main color. Too much contrast throws things off balance. 

12. Ignoring Electrical Needs – A lot of people ignore electrical work when renovating but what goes on behind the walls is so important and valuable. Electrical work really does pay you back at resale time. Having enough outlets and even a data center to deal with Internet, phone lines, cable, etc, pays off big time. If you are renovating an older home, electrical upgrades are the first thing you should consider believe me you do not want to plug your high powered hair dryer in and short out the entire house. It’s been known to happen. 

11. Narrow Halls & Staircases I always say the taller and wider you can make hallways, door openings, and stairways, the better. As long as it fits into the style of your house, bigger is better when it comes to halls and staircases. A lot of older homes have narrow staircases that are not up to code so when renovating you may have to change their width this is an opportunity to create something really beautiful and stylish. Same with hallways; in fact if you can eliminate narrow hallways and open up your rooms by removing the walls that create them, you really enhance the open feeling of your home. As long as it’s not a load baring wall check with your builder before you take down anything structural. 

10. Not Obtaining Permits There were times when I was first starting out that I did not get a permit for a particular job and my job was shut down by the inspector. Take it from me, if you do not get a permit, an inspector will show up this is just the way it works in life. Plus, your neighbors know what is going on and a lot of times they are the ones who call the town and complain again, an inspector will come out to check. File all papers with your town or city the building inspection office can tell you everything you need to know. Keep your neighbors happy, and your headaches to a minimum. 

9. Ignoring Safety This is a no-brainer! Wear goggles when using power tools. Don’t cover the floor in plastic drop clothes when painting always use canvas. Otherwise you will slip and fall. Another thing while I think it is great to get kids involved in renovation. My son helps me with projects around the house I don’t think children should be in areas where major demolition is taking place or where large power saws and other tools are being used. Little children, and even big ones, can easily become a distraction to workmen. 

8. Small Doorways  (bigger closets) – Doorways are like hallways and staircases bigger are always better. They give a feeling of openness to rooms and connect spaces seamlessly, unlike tiny doorways that make small rooms feel even tinier. Large doorways are a good way of creating the feeling of space. What are also important are big closets. I need a place to keep my shoes and bags. People often neglect to build in enough storage space in renovations. So when you are having the contractor widen your door, have him add a closet to your bedroom.

7. Improvising – The only people who should improvise are jazz musicians and comedians. Renovators should keep it to a minimum. Improvising leads to using poor materials, quick fix solutions that cause bigger problems down the line, and even create dangerous situations. I once saw someone use part of a garden hose underneath the second floor bathroom sink, as a water pipe. The bathroom flooded and ruined the entire floor of the house.

6. Buying Cheap Materials – Cheap building materials never hold up to the test of time. Buy the best you can afford. When working with a contractor always pre approve materials and make sure you see samples and prices before giving your okay and the make sure that the contractor uses the actual material you approved. Sometimes, I hate to say it, builders will try to cut corners on material costs and charge you the premium price whole they pocket the change. Don’t let that happen become the head of quality control for your project. 

5. Not Knowing Your Limitations / Not Asking For Help – There is a lot you can do yourself and women especially have a hard time believing that. However, even I think that not every job is a do it yourself task. I recommend hiring licensed electricians and plumbers to do complex jobs. Yes, you can change a light fixture yourself if you take all safety precautions and follow directions, but rewiring a house or upgrading plumbing should be left to the pros. For important design features like a stone or masonry fireplace, or tiling a floor, unless you are highly skilled the job if you do it yourself could need up looking amateurish and hurt resale value. It’s always going to be staring you in the face too, reminding you of your inadequacy as a DIYer. When renovating tackle only the jobs you know you can handle yourself, and move up from there gradually, as you build your confidence. If you want your floors and walls to look professionally done, have them done by a pro!

4. Not Hiring the Right People - Always get at least three bids, if not more (3 is a minimum) on any job and check references and license numbers when considering hiring professional builders or trades people. Word of mouth is fine, but you also have to do your homework. And if someone doesn’t treat you with respect (remember you’re the boss!), forget about it. Be suspicious of too good to be true low bids the contractor may be underestimating or low balling to get the job and then will always show up with additional unforeseen costs down the line The highest bid may not be a sign of quality either that person might be trying to gouge you. Go for the middle bids. 

3. Unrealistic Budget – Here’s a rule: it takes three times longer than you think, and costs three times more than you budgeted. I’m not saying you can’t do renos on a budget but be realistic. Check out prices before you establish the scope of your project. You may find you have to cut back on certain things (really fancy finishes and fixtures for example) in order to stay within a budget and get the best possible work done. Always build in a 20% pad to your budget, and keep track of costs in a notebook or file folder. Little things have a way of adding up and getting completely out of control.  What starts as a simple kitchen redo can turn into a credit card nightmare as you start upgrading and buying into showroom trends. Keep yourself in check and check in with yourself often. Do you really need the imported granite with the 1000-year-old fossils embedded in it for your kitchen, or will the domestic granite do? Must you have the antique mahogany floors important from a French chateau, or will the walnut floors from the home store suit you and your wallet just as well. People can get really carried away when renovating have a plan, build in some wiggle room, but don’t go off the deep end. I had a friend who went so out of control she ended up importing half her kitchen from an Irish castle. Problem was, the structure of her house couldn’t handle the heavy stone and wood she had brought in so it sat for months in a storage facility while she had her foundation shored up and the walls restructured. It costs 10s of thousands of dollars more to do this as well she finally ended up selling the Irish stuff and the house. The project was never finished.

2. Not Doing Your Homework – Don’t start a renovation until you really know what you want to do with your space. If you are adding on or changing the floor plan of your home, hire an architect to draw up a design. Seeing it on paper allows you to anticipate problems (and find solutions) before you call in the wrecking ball. Check out homes in your area and take pictures so you can show your architect and builder what you like. Tear pictures out of magazines and create your own doodles on paper to illustrate what you are thinking. The best advice is time. Don’t rush in. Take a few weeks and reassess what you’ve chosen; live with it for a while. Renovations are major undertakings, and you don’t want to end up with a design you don’t like or will hate a few years down the road. Talk to builders about what you have in mind they can tell you whether your dreams can be turned into reality. Plus, check your local zoning laws. A friend wanted to add a tower to her house, and she only found out after she had paid an architect to draw up plans for the tall addition that it was 10 feet too tall for the community rules. So it was back to the drawing board literally and of course she had to pay the architect for his extra time. If she had only checked, it would have saved her lots of time and money.

1. Using the Wrong Tools – Tools rule! Having the right tool for the right job is essential. DO not use a butter knife as a screwdriver (it will break eventually, and does not do the job quickly or efficiently). Do not use a screwdriver as a hammer. In my business I see people using the wrong tools all the time and I am out to change that. The right tool, one that is well made and feels good.

Go to www.barbarak.com to see all of my great assortment of tools! If I Can Do It So Can They! Barbara K

A home is simply not a home without the all essential toolkit! Not just any toolkit but one that gives you the inspiration to hang that picture that has been leaning against the bottom of the wall for 6 months.  C’mon you know exactly what I’m talking about! Well the toolkit that I’m talking about happens to be my Barbara K 30 piece toolkit! You know the one… marketed to women. But really it’s made so anyone can use the tools. All of them have great comfortable grips and are ergonomically designed to fit a women’s hand better. What makes it really fantastic is the guide book that comes with it. Similar to those cooking instructions that help you bake a cake… but I’m trying to get you out of the kitchen! Alas this will give you that feeling of “I did it” and I didn’t have to ask my husband, brother, next door neighbor or father to do it for me. You can do it yourself! Below is my checklist of the essential tools to keep in your home and some knowledge that may come in handy.Home Tool Checklist

Here’s everything you need so when it’s time to get handy, your tools are ready to bust out. Just promise us you won’t get them in pink!

The Top 10 Essentials

• Hammer

• Interchangeable Screwdriver 

• Tape measure- 25′

• Fastener assortment (screws, nails, bolts, dry wall anchors)

• Cordless drill- 12 volt

• Power Screwdriver

• Utility knife

• Level

• Tape (electrical, duct, masking and painter’s tape)

• 8″ pliers

• 8″ wrench

For plumbing fixes

• Pipe wrench

• Tile saw

• Plumber’s putty

• Teflon tape

• Your plumber’s phone number!

Knowing where the main shut off and local shut off valves are.

For hanging, patching and lighting 

• Handsaw

• Stud finder

• Voltage tester

• Nails

• Spackle or putty (best in white; you can always paint over it to match the wall)

• Putty knife

• Sandpaper (for smoothing the patched wall)

For putting items together and taking them apart

• Glue gun- Cordless

• Hex Keys 

• Pry bar or Crow bar

• Ratchet set

• Utility scissors

For painting

• Rollers

• Brushes

• Wooden stirrer

• Trays

• Sandpaper- 3 different grades. Fine, medium and course

• Drop cloth- cloth

• Blue painter’s tape

Extras for the closet

• Ladder

• Safety glasses (there are no cute options, sorry!)

• Extension cords- UL approved and approved for interior and exterior

• Flashlight

Yesterday being the clutz I am, I tripped over a baby stroller while strolling myself down Fifth Avenue there is a baby boom going on right now.! It seems like everyone has got a little bambino by her (or his) side. It made me think back to my own diaper-changing days and how concerned I was about turning my home into a safe haven for my son. All new parents should start thinking about baby proofing their homes, even before their precious bundles start expressing their natural curiosity. Of course, your home should already be equipped with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. But better to get baby proofing now, because when the baby starts toddling you could be too busy to remember these eight simple safety steps. All of the equipment is available at baby stores and home centers even your local hardware store:

1. City dwellers in particular must install window guards to help prevent falls from windows, terraces, and balconies. It’s the law! Screens are not enough. There should be no more than four inches between window guard bars. Make sure that one window in each room can be easily used for escape in a fire. Window guards cost around $12 per guard.

2. Use safety latches and locks on all kitchen and bathroom cabinets and drawers to stop little ones from getting access to household cleaners, medicines, liquor, and knives or other sharp objects. Such latches generally cost $2-$3 each.

3. Inexpensive plastic outlet and plate covers help prevent electrocution. Get the best they are cheap, less than $10 for a pack of 12. You want to make sure they are difficult for children to remove, and big enough so as not to present a chocking hazard.

4. Cut all window blind cords and use safety tassels and inner cord stops to help prevent strangling. Better yet, now if the time to replace your old mini blinds with new ones that already have safety features to prevent child strangulation. Depending on the size and style, new blinds range from $15 – $100 each.

5. Safety gates to help prevent falls down stairs and to keep children away from dangerous areas. Safety gates can help keep children away from stairs or rooms that have hazards in them. Typical cost of a safety gate: $13 to $40.

6. Oven knob covers cost about $9 or $10 for a pack of five. They prevent curious hands from the stove and potentially filling the house with gas but are east for adults to open so meals can be prepared easily.

7. Cut those corners with corner bumpers. These soft rubber edge covers can be placed on sharp corners on coffee tables, fireplace hearths and other furniture with right angles. Furniture bumpers cost about $1 a piece. While you are at it, pick up a few doorstops they help prevent small fingers and hands from being pinched or crushed. Doorstops cost about $2-$5 each.

8. Clean up! Keep small objects, like buttons, coins, rings, off of all floors and surfaces, as they present chocking and swallowing hazards. Large glass vases and other breakable items should be stored high up, where your child cannot reach them. Finally, give your bundle of joy lots of love!

For more fix it advice read my books “Room For Improvement and “Invest In Your Nest”! Or please visit my website www.barbarasway.com for my latest solution oriented home products.

“If I Can Do It So Can You! Barbara K

I don’t know about you but I live on the 16th floor of an apartment building; In total solitude and immune to the motor yanking bottle clanking of a garbage truck picking up trash.  Yah right,  in my dreams!  Actually it sounds like the sound is amplified by each floor up.

Ah but wait I have just the solution.  SOUND PROOFING! Bet you don’t know about it or know how easy it is.  Well I’m just the person to tell you , that you can sound proof your walls and ceiling as if you were living on top of a mountain. Here’s how to do it yourself!

Turn Up the Volume! Got neighbors? Me too – and unfortunately, I can hear them. Maybe it’s the kids discovering how to push their stereo speakers to the limit or that garbage truck that shows up at 7am on a Sunday morning! Even if you don’t have people right next door you may want to create a home theatre or music room where you will not be disturbed by the rest of the family and they will not be disturbed by you. Whatever the reason there is a cure—and it all boils down to one thing…sound proofing. Here is my sure fire quite cure. My favorite tricks for sleeping late and blasting the guitar are: Sound Proof A WallThe crucial trick when soundproofing a wall is to make sure that your new layer of soundproofing does not transmit reverberations from the old wall. If you want to go the quick route, you can add another layer of sheetrock onto the wall. Make sure the sheetrock joins along seams that are different or staggered from those of the original wall –this avoids creating a new channel for sound.  Use heavy adhesive to keep the sheetrock in place as you nail it in along the studs.  Be sure you locate the studs with a stud finder or tape measure (studs are typically found every 16” on center from the start of the wall) before slapping up the soundproofing wall. Finish the wall with seam tape and joint compound.   For a thicker layer of sound absorbency, you’ll want to create a stagger-studded second wall. Strip the sheetrock, or plaster from the original wall.  Then, frame out a second stud wall with a sole plate and top plate that do not touch the original stud wall’s framework.  In placing the studs between the sole plate and top plate, line the studs up so as not to echo the placement of the original studs.  Now you can lay insulation between the studs, put up the sheetrock wall and finish it with seam tape and joint compound.Finally, pad your walls with fabric. Not only does this “custom designer treatment” look gorgeous, it does help cut down even more on sound traveling between rooms and apartments. Use luaun, staplegun batting and fabric to the sheets. Then, apply to your walls with industrial strength Velcro and a couple of discreet tack nails.   Sound Proof A Ceiling    A dropped ceiling also creates a sound barrier, because they are specially designed to soak up noise and they are easy to install.  If your ceiling is flat, you can do the job quickly by simply gluing the acoustical tiles to the ceiling with a strong adhesive.If your ceiling is wavy, or if you need particularly strong sound proofing,  consider adding a dropped ceiling.  This creates a level plane with frames in which the tiles rest.  Although be aware that you will lose ceiling height…about 5 inches.Before installing the dropped ceiling frame, you can also staple batts of insulation to the original ceiling to create yet another layer of noise-reducing material.  This will even increase the room’s energy efficiency.Also, dropped ceilings come in so many styles these days, and are not as institutional looking as they used to be.  Change Doors And Add CarpetingReplace hollow-core doors with heavier solid-core doors to minimize sound transmission between rooms. Install wall-to-wall carpeting with extra-thick carpet pads underneath. If you do not like or cannot install wall-to-wall carpeting, place room sized rugs down, with extra thick carpet pads underneath. Double up by placing a carpet pad on the floor, a sisel rug on top of that, and then another, more colorful rung on top of that. Triple padding cuts down on noise, and is stylish-looking.  A very exciting product on the market is called Green Glue (www.greengluecompany.com). In terms of soundproofing products, it’s fairly  inexpensive and easy to work with – although I recommend hiring a contractor to apply it unless you are a confident DIY’er. Green Glue is slathered between two rigid surfaces (your wall, and another sheet of drywall, for example). It takes about 10 days to cure and for you to begin to notice a difference in the sound, and nearly a month before it reaches its peak capabilities. You can also use Green Glue on your ceiling.studios.  So go on and invite your relatives over to the guest bedroom without worrying about overhearing them or turn your spare bedroom into a home office! If I can do it (quietly), so can you!   

Just launching my new blog. This is the first post. I will be updating regularly with great home improvement tips, products and stories. For those of you that don’t know me I’m Barbara K of Barbara K Enterprises. I have been called the pioneer of the home improvement sector mainly because I created and designed a line of tools  that are more ergonomically designed to fit a women’s hand. Everything I create comes from my heart , experience and passion for trying to make women’s lives easier and more comfortable in their home. Therefore, giving a greater sense of self sufficiency that will help empower us to lead a more independent lifestyle. Please visit my website at www.barbarak.com for a more complete line of my products ,how-to tips and projects.

I really believe in the mantra of ” You Can Do It” or more appropriately  ” If I Can Do It So Can You” !  When I got divorced and my x husband took the toolkit I felt like a damsel in distress! I assumed many women felt the same way or even worse. After 10 years of running the first female owned construction company in New York City I came to realize that you can walk into any home center and not find one product made for a women.  You know why?  Cause all the buyers in retail are men.  So what can they possibly know about our needs and desires…especially for products that are functional but still have style.  Well , I set out to do something about this.  How did I take matters into my own hands?  By developing a really cool case in a really cool blue color to hold all the tools I designed and guide books that helped to give us the knowledge to get the job done. Then getting myself on a plane to China and coming out with an entire line of products so women can learn “how to hang a picture, how to hang shelves, how to fix a leaky faucet, how to change a door knob, and many more easy fix it projects that let you “get your feet wet” in the world of home improvement. (and that always seemed daunting)

Hey, nothing comes easy!  For me its a great feeling to be given confidence by knowing how to use tools and take care of my home. Being a single Mom to my ten year old son and knowing how to care for us in our home gives me such a feeling of empowerment every day of my life and I can onlyhope that you get to experience this feeling too!

If I can do it so can you!!

Barbara K