OK DIYers time for some truth!

Hello, hello!

I am pondering if I start my blog by writing an excuse for not blogging in a long time........but it seems to be a trend for me so how about this? What a busy year it has been! I look forward to 2018 being behind us, and nothing but positive vibes moving into 2019 for everyone- Seasons Greetings to you all!

I have decided on this blog today based on a recent experience with some friends- lets call them Penny and Tom, who have just bought their 'forever home'- yea congrats!!!! The idea for Penny and Tom is to slowly work on their home renovations in a DIY fashion taking each space one at a time. The idea is that the savings will be easily noticeable as they would be wiling to do MOST things themselves, and await sales or promotions to purchase large and even small items that they will need for their on going renovations. As there is no actual life span and no contractor on the project they are free to take their time and really put their personal stamp on it! Penny and Tom are both really hard working people with incredible drive and I have no doubt that they can do this! By themselves without professional input...well....*cough, cough*......? Yea sure they can tear out old cabinetry, lay their new vinyl flooring or install their new flat pack cabinetry, and even prime and paint the walls but doing it right???? Without the help of some professional input???Totally different story!

Here is that story;

I received a call from Penny asking for me to come at take a look at their space- as any professional knows you can always count on your friends to ask for your professional advice and services by offering you dinner and drinks. 'Of course I will, I'd LOVE too!' I said, why wouldn't I want to help my friends create their dream home and have a lovely excuse to have dinner and drinks with them- what am I a dream stealing monster and not hungry!? Upon further investigation with Penny I found out that Tom was quite opposed to asking me to come over and give input------WWWHHHHAAAAATTTTTT? I thought? Why wouldn't he want free professional advice and help? All he had to do was make me dinner and pour me a drink once or twice that evening and they would be on their way- smooth sailing to renovation land! Well just like any other 'A Type' person, he wanted to do it himself! No input needed- what are designers for anyways?! Well thank GAWD his lovely wife Penny is the yin to his yang and could see that they did need some input. Now I could go into GREAT details about what they have already done wrong that will end up costing them twice as much within a 5 year period (sorry Penny and Tom), but I am OBVIOUSLY using their story as a diving board for my blog today......

I do not think that Tom's opinion of involving a designer in a project like this a unique one. I feel A LOT of people think this way. So here I am with the intentions of proving, yet again a Designer Consultants worth to you and your projects. I have blogged about the importance of hiring a Design Consultant in past posts, but I have not touched on this specific reason for shelling out for a Design Consultant before you DO ANYTHING in your home!! As a seasoned Designer I have walked through MANY homes....some renovated by contractors and some by DIYers. In my humble opinion the DIYers renovations stand out like a sore thumb....a REALLY sore infected thumb......gaps in laminate or wood flooring, crooked cabinetry installation, horrible back splash installation and you know what?! I truly feel that if ANY of those DIYers would have taken the time to have a Consultant look at the project before all hell broke loose the finished results would have been MILES above what the actual results ended in, possibly even looking more like the jobs I see that are done by a professional contractor. A Design Consultant is LOADED with information on how to make the task more effective, less costly and easier for you and your DIY ways!! A Design Consultant is not there to always suggest a design pallet or the perfect counter top selection with the cabinetry you have picked....yea they can help with that, but they can also help in propelling you in the right steps forward in laying your new vinyl OR how to successfully install those new flat pack cabinets without spending more time that you need and ending up with 'wonky' results. By applying the methods of a Design Consultant to your potential scope of work you will create more value and lifetime in your components and will most definitely spend less time during the installation part. Honestly, wouldn't you consider that for a couple of hundred dollars there is a whole CRAP tonne of value in just that alone?

So whether you are looking for a design pallet OR just curious about the 'in's and how too's' of the renovation industry give a Design Consultant a call- talk through your project and find out if your plans could use a little instruction....lord knows I don't cut my own hair OR try to wash my dry clean only items....I trust the professionals to do right by me, and I communicate with them what I need so that the results are positive and long lasting. I understand fully that there is an element of being prideful and happy with the fact that you have completed this on your own- but who are you kidding, there is NO way that a hard headed DIYer is not noticing the gaps in the floor and the crooked tile back splash...and guess what- you have to live with it until you redo it which equals $$$ OR you might decide to move which means you may HAVE to redo it which equals $$$$. So now your pride is costing you time, money and you are part of the bigger issue that is continuing to add to our landfills which hurts the environment- oh the shame of it all!

To all you Penny's and Tom's out there- I love you, I really do BUTTTTTT (big BUT here) do it right the first time, get someone in there that can help you in the right direction for your project and material needs. So instead of shame on you how about give me a call, dammit!

Happy planning!

L