NFH #002: On the Pleasures and Perils of Doing it Yourself

Last month in the inaugural News from Home I wrote a little bit about how fun and exciting it can be to imagine all the changes you might make to a home you see in an online listing. Sometimes this becomes so inspiring that you end up buying that house. All that dreaming and Pinterest-ing then suddenly turns into real-life work that needs to get done. 

I consider myself a pretty handy person, which is handy because there’s a lot to do around my house. When we purchased our home in the Eastern Hills neighborhood of Fort Worth three years ago, not much had been done to update it since it was built in 1959. We started by removing the old wallpaper, three layers thick in some rooms, and covering the ceiling in the kitchen and living area. What I thought would be a weekend task for my partner Zachary and I turned out to be a job that took three professionals, several tools I’d never seen before and about a week to complete. And so it went throughout the house. Seemingly simple tasks turned into major ordeals. There was and remains plenty to do to update and maintain our home. 

 I’ve been talking for at least six months about tackling the hall bathroom project. The scope seems reasonable really; our original pink-tiled bathroom has been unchanged since 1959 save for some “new” wallpaper installed sometime in the late ‘70s if I had to guess based on the metallic floral pattern. While the tub surround and countertop tiles are in immaculate condition, the floor needs to be replaced and the aforementioned wallpaper is peeling up. Some fresh faucets, new light fixtures and a coat of paint are all it needs to bring some new life into the space. How hard could it be?

I decided I could tackle this project myself. The plumbing fixtures were first up; a new sink faucet and tub filler. While it wasn’t smooth, I muddled through the sink faucet. The shut-off valves had corroded and would have to be replaced as well. I struggled to get the tap handles loose, but with a couple trips to the hardware store for new tools and some extra muscle leant by Zach after he heard me grunting, groaning and cursing under the sink, we managed to make it happen. The new faucet looked great. On to the tub. 

After 26 hours with the water turned off at the meter, new pex lines run from the attic, many, many YouTube videos watched and fully 13 Home Depot runs, the tub filler was installed too. I was traumatized, exhausted and utterly ecstatic after I had finished. Few things are more satisfying than getting in over your head but accomplishing something truly difficult.

It was a rush, but now I’m in no rush to jump back into it; the new floor tile still sits in boxes and the old floral wallpaper remains untouched. Owning a home means taking on a set of responsibilities that demand you to care and learn about things you never thought you’d want or need to know about. Sometimes it's empowering to learn a new skill. Sometimes you need to FaceTime your dad in a plumbing emergency. Sometimes it's a huge relief to call a professional.

So much of real estate is about slow and steady progress. The process of buying a home can involve years of planning, saving, searching and negotiating. Remodeling, decorating, gardening and maintenance are often a game of patience and slow accumulation. There’s an undeniable pleasure in finally achieving a hard-fought win, but there’s also joy to be found in reaching out for help. 

Oftentimes help is available but it’s not always clear how, when or who to ask for it. As an agent, one of my primary roles is to provide those resources and connections so you don’t have to go it alone. With the big shifts the market has seen over the last few years, even experienced buyers and sellers can benefit from the expertise of lenders, inspectors, tradespeople or general contractors. I’m grateful to have a network of vendors in the DFW area and an office full of accomplished agents, designers and construction professionals at 6th Ave Homes who can provide valuable insight. I’m always happy to provide resources and recommendations for anyone interested in making a move, whether you’re just starting to think about leasing or buying your first home, considering a major renovation or just need a plumber.

Here are a few informative instagrams I enjoy:

@thedallasgardenschool—Solid resource for native and vegetable gardening know-how

@inspectedbyshack—Home inspector operating in North Texas. The videos on new builds are especially enlightening!

@ellieridgerealtor— Bay-Area agent with a wealth of knowledge about homes’ structural elements

Thanks for reading, and oh by the way, I’m never too busy for your referrals!