8 Mistakes in Repair That Everyone Makes

Viktoriya Pashinskaya shared the most common "mistakes" made during home repairs on her Instagram page. She also explains what to consider to avoid regrets later.

Viktoriya Pashinskaya is an expert, designer, and head of PV Design Studio. Member of the Moscow Designers' Union

Underestimating Financial Possibilities

Repairs should only begin when you have a specific amount of money available. Otherwise, budget shortages can lead to delays in work — and those delays also cost money.

Solution: calculate the net budget you currently have for the repair. If you only have funds for a bathroom renovation, then focus on that.

Not Defining the Scale and Complexity of the Repair

A clear action plan is essential for success in any project.

Solution: decide on the type of repair — cosmetic or capital. If you have specific wishes, understand how they will be implemented — simple things often hide complex execution.

Not Choosing Color Solutions Properly

The same color can look different in various interiors depending on lighting and surrounding tones.

Solution: when purchasing finishing materials, ask for samples to try at home or make color swatches yourself to see how the color behaves in your space throughout different times of day. Ideally, collect all elements together: floor covering, wall materials, and sample of future furniture.

Unwise Material Purchasing

You must decide upfront what finishing materials you will use — this directly affects surface preparation methods and thus the cost of labor.

Solution: choosing regular painting can save significantly. Great wallpapers are often available at very low prices. Important: always take materials from the same batch — otherwise, shades might not match.

Not Planning the Layout Properly

The most important thing is a well-thought-out layout with furniture placement, installation and demolition plans, and electrical wiring diagrams. When you have drawings at hand, it helps correctly prepare a budget, simplifies the task of laying utilities. When you clearly understand where each piece of equipment and furniture will be placed, you can save significantly on cable conduits, baseboards with hidden channels, and outlets.

Solution: you can install any free layout planner and design the plan yourself. Or make a measurement (remember to account for ventilation, radiators, utilities, window heights, floor level differences, all wall deviations) and draw the room on graph paper. Important: check doorways width, door opening, and window openings.

Incorrect Measurements

Measurements taken by a professional will give more accurate figures and allow you to adjust plans in advance — it's better to do this early than pay extra for corrections later.

Solution: invite the contractor and designer you plan to hire for the repair to give advice — whether everything is properly considered. Some studios offer free consultations. If you're not using standard furniture, contact the measurer from the company that will make your custom furniture. Consult specialists in ventilation systems, air conditioners, and intercoms.

Mistakes in Choosing a Crew

Be cautious when hiring a construction crew based on recommendations from friends: it's important to see the completed work with your own eyes.

Solution: don't be misled by low prices — usually half the work isn't accounted for. Always request and review the list of works. If your project is handled by a designer, choose a crew that has worked with them before.

Not Creating a Budget

Without a quality budget, there's a big risk of buying something you don't actually need.

Solution: a large number of repair steps are not obvious to the average person, so it's necessary to go through every stage from start to finish and create a detailed list. After that, you'll see what's really needed.