How to Make Home Renovation Less Painful Than Advertised

If you're planning a renovation in the near future, you don't have to fall for the idea that it will be exhausting, overloaded, and stressful. Instead, follow these tips to prepare your project, simplify the process, and reduce pressure throughout the renovation.

1. Determine When to Hire a Contractor

One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is not being able to distinguish between projects they can do themselves versus those better left to professionals.

The idea of doing everything yourself is appealing, and in many cases it's a viable option. However, there are moments when it's better to hand off the task to someone else. Usually, this is related to experience. An electrician knows how to handle complex wiring. A plumber won't let leaks happen on the first try. A carpenter can deal with rotted wood under the roof.

But it's not only about experience. For example, there are tasks you can do but they require too much effort. You might lay down carpet yourself, but it would take ten hours while a pro can do it in two. Often the time saved doesn't compensate for the cost.

Every time you start a renovation, first think about whether to do it yourself. If the answer is no, then use a site like Angi to find a reliable specialist. If yes — move on to the next section.

2. Plan Flexibly in Advance

This stage is difficult because it requires the ability to find a balance between over-control and laziness.

If you want your renovation to go smoothly, it's important to start with planning. This begins with research. Take time to learn as much as possible about the project.

Fill knowledge gaps. Talk to friends with more experience. Once you gather information, make a reasonable budget and project plan. Define every stage, required materials, and time needed to complete them. Be generous with yourself so you have room for errors and miscalculations.

The word 'flexible' in the heading of this section means that when planning, you should also avoid a too rigid approach. It's easy to create an ideal step-by-step plan. The problem is that reality never matches theory.

Instead, gather as much information as possible and use it to create a flexible plan. Consider backup options at each stage, and give yourself enough freedom to account for unexpected circumstances.

3. Strategically Seek Help

Renovation can often feel unbearable at every stage. For example, if you're repainting the kitchen, there are many moments where help can be useful. Painting, laying flooring, and installing underlayment — all of these are easy to do together. But you can also do them alone, just more slowly.

However, there are kitchen renovation tasks that are harder. Installing a dishwasher requires certain knowledge. Mounting cabinets needs skill. Running plumbing to the sink can be dangerous.

It's better to have help for such complex tasks rather than just add a hand when painting or laying linoleum.

Sometimes help may be absent but still useful. In such cases, direct it toward simple tasks. But if you have a friend who is a professional builder, use their help as effectively as possible.

This requires strategy and research. First, determine what task you're planning to tackle (see the previous section for more details). When breaking down timeframes and plans, identify exactly what you need to do at each stage.

Then, when getting help or seeking it, you'll act with clear purpose. Look for ways to solve areas where you're struggling. Then distribute help across other tasks once the main issues are resolved.

Home renovation can be a blessing — at least after completion. But the process itself can still be challenging even in the best-case scenario.

It's important to use the above tips to prepare a path for a smooth and efficient project.

Hand over big tasks if doing them yourself doesn't make sense. Plan everything in advance — with the understanding that this is just a guide, not a strict route. Be cautious when choosing help to avoid isolated encounters with difficult parts of the renovation.

Applying these methods before starting a project is the best way to make home renovation less painful than advertised.