Television networks like HGTV and DIY make home and garden renovations look fun, exciting, and completely doable…which is excellent! But they also make renovating and decorating look so much easier than they actually are.
Without intending to, HGTV has turned an entire population of people into reno-enthusiasts with zero practical knowledge. So, in honour of those unfortunate folks who bite off more than they can chew, Ottawa-Gatineau Painting presents, “You know you watch too many home improvement shows when…”
That Project Is Taking a Lot Longer Than You Thought
You have all the time in the world to knock down walls, tear up carpet, patch up drywall, and lay down tile. Television networks, however, only have less than an hour to start and finish a project. Obviously, it takes contractors and their HUGE team much longer than the network time slot; however, the timelines are slightly skewed by a few factors:
- Despite the devastating hiccups every celebrity contractor encounters in a home reno show, everything is miraculously resolved by the end of the show.
- Did we mention their HUGE team? You definitely won’t have that many people working on your house at the same time, which means your project will naturally take longer.
- Although the shows are pretty clear on how long a project takes, it’s easy to overlook that when everything seems to be tied up in a pretty little bow at the end of the episode.
It’s So Much Messier than You Ever Thought it Would Be
HGTV doesn’t hire amateurs. The home improvement experts are great at what they do. They also have an on and off-screen team of assistants, apprentices, interns, and hands to properly dispose of waste, sweep dust and debris, drive garbage bins out of the driveway, and keep the mess to a bare minimum. If you plan on taking care of your own home renovation or paint job, don’t underestimate the amount of time and money (yes, money) it takes to simply clean up the mess you make. That includes hiring a junk removal company, renting a dumpster bin, buying or borrowing an industrial-strength vacuum cleaner, and ensuring you have enough rags, drop cloths, and painter’s tape so that when a spill or mess actually does happen, you’re prepared for it.
Your Paint Job Produced Surprising Results
Professional painters make it look so easy. It’s no wonder you’d try to tackle that complicated wainscoting job all on your own. What you see on the screen, however, is a culmination of years of professional experience and industry knowledge on paint colours, textures, and finishes. Oftentimes, many of our clients paint their homes to save money, only to have to hire professionals to fix their uneven results.
Leave the Home Improvement up to Us
There are some home renos that we encourage homeowners to take charge of—but painting isn’t one of them. Fine-quality paint jobs require more experience and knowledge than the average person has the patience or time to master. So why not leave that job up to us? Contact Ottawa–Gatineau Painting for all your home improvement needs.
