Home improvement shows are perfect for lazy weekend binge-watching. It’s natural to dream about that new farmhouse kitchen or antique bathroom and wonder if you’re ready to renovate, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise that most of what you see on TV is fake. Between unrealistic budgets and behind-the-scenes crews working around the clock to hit deadlines, your home reno reality isn’t going to look like it does on Property Brothers or Fixer Upper.
Whether expecting to remove your kitchen in an hour with just a sledgehammer and your cranky uncle or completing your entire living room on a shoestring budget and thrift finds, it’s healthy to have realistic expectations before entering the reno world. Oh, and be prepared for your contractors to use YOUR bathroom. They gotta go, too, you know.