We can't all be master contractors, and even if you are, chances are you're going to make a mistake or two every once in a while. Whether buying products for a house repair or installing a new appliance, there are plenty of moments when things could unexpectedly take a turn for the worse. But fear not - we've put together this list of real people's construction or decor blunders so that we can all learn (and giggle) from their mistakes.
Caution: Don't Pour Concrete By The Duck Pond
There's nothing better than fresh pavement. You can ride your bike smoothly, dribble a basketball without worrying about cracks, and draw with chalk for hours. But, if you're going to be pouring new concrete for the driveway, we have a few tips you might want to think about. First and foremost, if you're going to be pouring right next to a duck pond, try to find a way to distract the ducks while the concrete is drying.
We're not entirely sure what the contractors could've done to prevent this. But, they're definitely going to need to go back and clean things up again. We just hope they at least quacked up a little bit.
It Was Just Supposed to Be a "touch-Up"
Moving into a new home is one of the most exciting things a young couple can do. So, when these lovebirds finally found their forever home, they couldn't wait to get renovations underway and finish the move-in process. Just one problem: when their painters came to touch up the upstairs bedrooms, one of the workers fell down the stairs– along with his five-gallon bucket of paint! Half the house was practically covered, and now this family is looking at a much longer renovation.
We're not sure if anything could be done to fix this much damage. At that point, they may just have to tear the carpet off the stairs and replace it.
At Least He Has a Sense of Humor
Even if you're not the best handyman, you will need to have a good sense of humor if you want to keep your house in good working order. No matter how careful you are, something will need to be replaced every once in a while. So, the best thing you can do in that case is to find a solution within your budget range, and get back to living your life. That's precisely what this family down below did!
Even though their new outlet wasn't the prettiest addition to the house, the family decided to have a good laugh about it. We might try this trick at some point down the line too!
She Really Values Her Alone Time
It's easy to get carried away while cleaning, especially if you're a neat freak like we are. Once we get started scrubbing, it's hard to stop until every little spot in the house is clean. However, this creates problems if you lose your focus and forget to polish yourself a path out of the room. This woman did exactly that while her husband was across the room laughing it up from the safety of the couch.
We wish this was a video instead of a picture. She probably had the most hilarious reaction when she looked up and realized that she'd be stuck standing there for hours!
This Landlord Has Terrible Taste in Wallpaper
If you're stuck renting an apartment, chances are you're not going to love every single one of your landlord's design choices. Maybe they put an old air conditioner in the living room or didn't properly secure the shower handle to the wall. Still, neither of those things would be as bad as the picture down below. This landlord had the spare room painted, and decided to paint right over a dead cockroach!
At least the little guy looks like he's dancing. Still, this is a bit grosser than we'd be willing to deal with if it were our home.
How to Tell Your Child That It's Time for Them to Move Out
If you've ever been living in a house while serious work is being done, then you know that you get into a bit of a routine with the construction. You expect to wake up to the sound of hammers and saws, and on any given day you're not sure whether you'll have power, water, or access to different parts of the house. Still, this one had to be surprising for this girl.
Apparently, after months of renovations, it slipped Dad's mind to let his daughters know that they'd be replacing the staircase on the day this picture was taken. So, instead of heading off to school, this girl was just stuck upstairs for the day instead.
Not All Doors Were Created Equal
If your significant other puts you in charge of a specific project in the house, you're going to want to do a good job and impress them. No one wants to look like they're in over their heads and they can't provide for their family. Still, if your wife tells you to measure the door before going to the hardware store, you might want to think about listening to her. If you don't, you might wind up exactly like this guy.
If you haven't learned by now, not all doors are the same size. This guy wound up buying one that was too narrow, and now it doesn't even close!
Dying Your Hair for Cheap
It is one of the greatest feelings in the world to finish a hard day of renovation work on your home and to start packing up the tools so you can relax for the night. But, make sure you put everything back in the right order when that process starts. You don't want to wind up like this lady. She had just finished painting after the end of a long bathroom renovation but then forgot to move her bucket of paint off the ladder before she tried to fold it up.
If you look around, now she's going to have to repaint those cabinets, wax the floor, and throw out that bathmat. Plus, she should probably wash her hair.
Who Needs Privacy in the Bathroom, Anyway?
This picture was posted by a frustrated DIY enthusiast who finished their toilet replacement project, and then quickly realized that they'd made a major mistake. After working through a hernia, taking two separate trips to the hardware store, and finally getting the toilet secured to the ground, this guy realized that he can't even close the bathroom door anymore! That's enough to drive anyone crazy, but imagine if he had been holding it in that whole time too!
Comments looking at this picture pointed out that the guy doesn't have to worry about redoing his toilet project. He can just pop the pins out of the door hinges and remove the door instead.
When You Accidentally Play Dominoes With Your House
If your house is feeling a little cramped, we know it's tempting to go straight after that dividing wall. You might think that opening up the kitchen and living room will make your house feel much more open and airy. But, if you're not careful, you might wind up taking out a load-bearing wall like these people down below did. Now, does that house look airy or open to any of you?
With any renovations, the key is obviously not to compromise the structural integrity of your home. Anytime the foundation, or the structural supports of the house are concerned, it's time to bring in a professional.
He's Definitely Rethinking His Life Decisions
Earlier, we talked about a woman who had backed herself into a corner while waxing the floor and had nowhere to escape to. Somehow, this guy has it even worse. He went up to paint a roof, and then found himself stuck on one little unpainted spot, with no way to get off the roof without ruining his paint job! We at least hope someone from one of those adjacent windows had the decency to give the man some food while he waited for it to dry.
You can tell by the way he's looking down at the ground that this guy is pretty baffled by himself.
Guess Kitty Will Be Doing Parkour
The whole point of DIY home improvement projects is to make your home more comfortable for your family. And, since pets are practically members of the family, it's no wonder people have all manner of ideas for different pet-friendly DIY home renovations. Unfortunately though, if you're planning on doing any of these projects, you're going to want to pay attention to the details. Otherwise, you'll wind up like this person down below, who now has a cat door that's better suited for a parrot.
What obviously happened here is that the person started cutting the door without stopping to consider which side the doorknob needed to be on. As they always say, measure twice, cut once.
It's All About That Reuse, Reduce, Recycle
Do you ever look at a picture and say to yourself, "Yea, that's definitely a high school locker room?" That's the vibe this picture gives off. We can't figure out what contractor would decide to do this, but as you can see, there's a normal sink faucet handle and head sitting there where the shower head should be. Not only will the water pressure that comes out of that thing be inadequate, but that also has to be totally inefficient!
Maybe this was some type of prank that some kids pulled on their school. "April Fools! We shower in the sink and wash our hands in the shower now!"
And Suddenly, "Rug" Got Moved to the Top of the Wish List
When one of the kitchen tiles in this renter's apartment broke, they thought it would be reasonable to ask their landlord to replace the missing piece. Luckily, the landlord obliged. But, he had a weird question for his tenants before he came to do the replacement job: "Do you care if the tile looks exactly the same?" They figured he'd bring something that was at least similar, so they said no, but nobody could've been expecting this.
This false-marble tile sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of that bland, beige, Formica floor. We know the tenants said they didn't mind, but the landlord at least could've tried a little harder.
Only One Can Survive
If you're planning on taking on a major home improvement project, it's good to have some family members and friends around to help you out. Still though, if you make a major mistake, don't expect them to let you hear the end of it. In this case, the person who took the picture went over to their brother-in-law's place to help repair the awning. But instead, he wound up posting a picture to the internet for everyone to laugh at his brother-in-law's stupidity.
Apparently, this guy wasn't thinking when he put that joist through the center of his ladder. So at this point, he's going to have to either saw the ladder in half, or remove the crossbeam and start over.
Guess They Didn't Know the Fireplace Goes Outside the Yurt
If you've never gone on vacation and booked a scenic yurt on Air B&B, it is a must! It's a really fun way to take an eco-friendly vacation and spend some quality time with your loved ones. That being said, if you're planning on building a yurt for your property, make sure you correctly follow all the steps you need to, especially when it comes to installing the fireplace. You wouldn't want to see your dreams go up in flames like this family's did.
Apparently, the pipe running up from the fireplace wasn't properly fitted to the metal chimney piece on the roof. So, the yurt's fabric ignited. We just hope that they learned their lesson if they decided to go ahead and build another one.
At Least They Know Roomba Always Gets the Whole Room
Roombas can be helpful little creatures, but we've heard way too many horror stories of Roombas gone rouge to leave ours running when we're not around. We've seen terrible pictures of Roombas that went over dog feces, or Roombas that knocked over china cabinets, but we think this one takes the cake. This Roomba picked up a piece of sheetrock, and then proceeded to run roughshod and destroy this family's entire kitchen floor!
Those scratches aren't just going to buff out. So, looks like if these people want their security deposit back, they're going to have to start a serious renovation project in the kitchen.
So, Do You Have Any Pets?
It was always a dream of ours when we were little kids to write our names in the concrete of the sidewalk and have it eternalized there. However, if the wet concrete is inside of your house instead of out on the street, chances are you're not going to want anyone messing with it. That being said, your pets probably don't know that. So, if you want to avoid a mishap like this, let's keep the cats crated while the concrete is drying.
We probably don't have to tell any of you this, but the same rule applies for toddlers, puppies, ducks, and anything or anyone else that might ruin your builders's hard work and force them to redo the project.
Finally, a Legitimate Reason to Call the HOA
Painting can be fun, but if you're going to take on a giant project like say, painting an entire house, you have to be ready to put some work in. If you want the paint to look good and even, you can't just give up halfway through the job. Otherwise, your house will wind up looking like this guy's who literally gave up halfway through painting his own house. It reminds us of a creamsicle, but that's probably not what he was going for.
We can't imagine the neighborhood homeowners association was too pleased with this either. But, at this point, it's either finish with the orange or do the whole thing white again, which would take even longer.
"it's Just a Thin Crack in the Wall"
This picture came from a Facebook support group where someone was asking for a recommendation for a contractor. But, the person who saw the post immediately knew they had to share the image, because this person should've asked for a contractor years ago– like seriously, five or ten years ago. If a house's foundation is crumbling like this, that means it has been structurally decomposing over time, and the whole house is at risk of collapsing at any point.
We can't even imagine that a contractor would take this job and try to fix this collapsing cellar. If it's that bad in this corner, we can't imagine what else is broken, and the whole house probably needs tearing down.
The Noise Complaints Just Weren't Doing the Job
It's always nice to have handy people in the same apartment building or neighborhood as you. You can go borrow someone's tools, ask for help on a project, or get advice when something isn't going right. That being said, you also might want to consult your neighbors if you're doing work that could affect their apartments. For example, if you're going to be using a meter long drillbit in your ceiling, maybe warn your upstairs neighbors to stand on a chair.
We can't even believe this person got this on camera. But, you can actually see a second drill hole already in the floor, so this guy probably just caught his neighbor mid-project.
It's Honestly Impressive That They Messed up This Bad
We spent a very long time staring at this picture and trying to figure out whether it was photoshopped, or if we were missing something. We just can't understand how the builders of a house could make such a massive mistake with their design. As you can see, the front door and front window are on opposite sides as they should be. It's either that or the front steps were built on the wrong side, but either way it's a mess.
The only thing we can imagine is that there were two different teams of builders working on the interior and exterior of the house, and they just forgot to communicate. Still weird they didn't notice this one though.
Kids, Don't Try Everything You See On Social Media
Over the past few years, a lot more people have been trying out different DIY home improvement projects. This means that we get to see a lot more of this content on social media, but this obviously has mixed results. Some people are great at taking an idea from the internet and putting it into action. Other people, like the person down below, need to get in the habit of doing more research before they start any new projects.
If this person had at least removed their jackets from the closet, they could've saved themself some grief. Although, that first shade of white looks awful anyway. That wood probably needed a primer first.
When You Get Tired of Your Significant Other Playing Video Games
Doing the careful, find-hand work required to finish off a paint job requires a lot of patience. For example, working in at all the edges and making sure paint doesn't bleed between the walls is an important part of keeping a room looking clean! Also, be sure to resist the temptation to just run the paint roller over everything. If you're not careful, you might wind up robbing yourself of an electrical outlet, like this guy.
In order to fix this, they probably would've needed to unscrew the whole faceplate of the outlet. But, that would've ripped the paint around the edges, and now we're back to edging in correctly to save yourself time on the back end.
PSA: It's Okay to Crate Your Pets During Home Renovations
Concrete, like paint, needs time to be left alone to dry so that no blemishes form. But, when this family had their garage redone, they forgot to make sure to keep their dogs out while that drying process was going on. They didn't realize their mistake until too late (we're not sure how, the dogs must have been tracking concrete everywhere), but when it was all said and done, they wound up with a puppy paw print garage floor pattern!
At the end of the day, this is a pretty cool way to memorialize this family's dogs. Plus, by the different-sized pawprints, you can even tell a little about the three dogs' different personalities!
This Is Literally What They Make Stud Finders For
Drywall is a great building material to form barriers. But, as far as strength goes, let's just say you're not going to want to be mounting your new flatscreen TV to a panel of drywall. So, that's why you need a stud finder. This handy tool lets you know where the planks of wood are behind the wall, which allows you to drive a screw in at exactly the right place.
Obviously, this person has either never heard of a stud finder, or is the most stubborn (and impractical) handyman on the planet. This job could've been completed with at least twenty fewer holes in the wall.
It's Called Abstract Art, Honey
There are some construction mistakes that we expect everyone to make at some point or another. Maybe you cut a piece of wood to the wrong length, or punch a hole in the wrong part of the wall. But, this strange occurrence can't be something that everyone has experience with. Somehow, this guy mounted his new toilet seat backward, with the cover resting on the toilet, and the seat above it where it's completely useless!
We really hope this guy noticed his mistake before trying to use the restroom. That could've ended disastrously for everyone involved. But, at the end of the day, this is a five-minute fix that should've given him a laugh more than anything.
Spray Foam Insulation - 1, Drywall - 0
One of the best ways to patch a hole in your drywall is to stick a nozzle of spray foam insulation into the empty cavity of the wall, overfill it, and then sand the excess down before painting. However, if you're planning on doing this, you might want to do it with a gentle touch. If your insulation expands too much, it could wind up blowing out the back side of the wall, like in this picture down below.
This is a common occurrence in homes with thin walls, but still, it's a pain in the butt if you find this happening to you.
Have Any Good Contractor Recommendations?
It would be great if building a home in real life was as easy as it is in the video games, but unfortunately, life just isn't that simple. When you're constructing something, say a new kitchen, you need to pay careful attention to where each new piece is going to be mounted. That means that your cabinets can not just be screwed into the drywall. Otherwise, you might wind up waking up one morning for breakfast to see this.
This must have been a huge setback for this renovation, and probably upset the family to no end. You can see all of their broken glasses on the ground too, so they must have been pissed.
The Water's Gonna Be Playing Hard to Get
You might not believe us, but there are times when contractors can listen to their customers a little too much. Case in point, this woman went away for the weekend while her contractors were redoing the bathroom in her apartment. She asked them to make sure the showerhead was up high so that guests wouldn't have to crouch or lean in the shower anymore. However, these guy sput the thing so high up, the only thing it sprays is the shower's far wall!
Maybe Andre the Giant could get some use out of this shower head, but normal people are going to be coming in well below the height requirement for this shower.
We Weren't Planning on Using That Corner Anyway
Obviously, if you live in a cold area, you're going to want to have a working radiator. But, if you're the team installing the radiators, let's also remember that people want to be able to use the space they have in their rooms. A radiator installed like this isn't going to make anyone happy at all. The pipes are blocking off a solid portion of the room that's now completely unusable!
At least this person is going to be nice and warm. But, they're going to be doing it while sitting on top of the extra three boxes of stuff they couldn't unpack thanks to this awful renovation decision.
It's the Thought That Counts
We love the initiative this family was taking when they decided to buy their cat a cat door for the screen door on their patio. During the summer, that door is always open to let a breeze in the house, and the cat is always going in and out anyway. This way, the family figured they could save some time and not have to open the door for the cat. But, obviously, that's not what wound up happening.
If you're planning on taking on any type of project that involves a door, try to make sure that you measure which way the door is going to be pointing first.
Breaking News: Toggle Bolts Won't Stop Drywall From Breaking
Obviously, this image was taken after a disaster. This couple's flat-screen TV came tumbling down off the wall, and a huge fight erupted afterward. Apparently, the person who hung the TV had told their partner that they weren't worried about it falling, and they didn't need to find a stud because they'd be using toggle bolts. Spoiler alert though, they should've just found a stud in the first place. Now, they're out a TV, and a whole piece of drywall.
There's nothing worse than a home improvement fail that also destroys one of your possessions. But hey, that's how we learn and get better. So, if this happens to you, keep your chin up!
A Ceiling as Sturdy as a Doll House
Alright, even if you think you're having a bad week, we can promise you it's not as bad as what this guy is going through. As he explains it, both he and his girlfriend got sick and had to quarantine in the house. On top of that, the heater broke and they're freezing. But, because of the quarantine, the technician isn't even allowed to come over and look at it. So, he tried fixing it himself.
Obviously, that didn't go too well either. Apparently, they tripped on a pipe, and then came crashing through the ceiling into the closet. Now, everything is covered in insulation, and the house is still freezing.
All We Need to Know About the New Neighbors
As we're pretty sure we mentioned above, it's common courtesy to let your neighbors know where there's going to be a major renovation project going on at your home. The trucks you need might wind up blocking the street, the noise might wake them up, and if you're not careful, your paint might wind up getting all over their car. That could lead to some seriously angry neighbors, and nobody wants that kind of trouble.
While this new polka dot paint job does look kind of cool, it doesn't help that the paint is drying and obstructing the headlights, as well as the car's grill.
When Your Contractor Didn't Pass Geometry
The oldest saying in construction is "Measure twice, cut once." This means that you're supposed to really double-check before you do anything permanent, that way you don't have to redo your work down the line. However, these contractors must not have cared at all about their measurements, because this is one of the wonkiest and most uneven sinks we've ever seen. On top of everything else, that faucet isn't even centered!
If this was our kitchen, we're not sure if we'd be able to deal with it. We'd probably have to have the counter replaced just to stop ourselves from getting frustrated about it everyday.
The Builders Ensured They Had Privacy While Working
It should go without saying, but if you have apprentices working on your job site, make sure to give them a little extra instruction. Stepping into the construction field can be hard for people without experience, and it can lead to mishaps like this. Apparently, this young pipe layer was working on an electrical project in one room, and didn't stop to think at all about how the door into the room was going to be able to open afterward.
Obviously, the kid had to redo this work going up and around the door frame, which cost the team a whole extra half day of work.
It's Easy to Say "save the Bees" When You Don't Live Here
This practically looks like a screenshot from the movie Candyman, but it's not. This was really happening inside this guy's wall when he went to remove the outlet cover and paint. Obviously, if you find something like this, it's not going to be something you can deal with on your own. So, call a local bee specialist and have them come out for an assessment. Chances are, they can relocate the bees for you.
The bee specialist might have to remove a piece of the wall to access these little critters. But, you'll also probably be allowed to partake in some of the honey from the hive, so it's a pretty fair trade!
Properly Supporting the Roof Will Be Tomorrow's Problem
Ceiling fans are always nice because they redistribute air around the room to help everyone stay cool. But, if you're not careful, a ceiling fan installed in the wrong place could throw an entire room off. That's what almost happened here. But, luckily, the contractors had a brilliant idea to stop anyone from noticing their mistake. Well, we noticed the mistake. But, we don't actually mind the way they decided to fix it.
For this family's sake, we just hope this pillar was cosmetic and not load-bearing. If it was, then this little ceiling fan hack could also be the reason their upstairs neighbors come crashing in for a visit soon.
Bathroom Remodel Going Well
There aren't many things in the world we like more than a good, hot shower. But, in order for it to be a truly great shower, a few things need to happen. You need to have a nice towel for afterward, the water pressure has to be good, and the showerhead has to be at the right height. In this case, we can't imagine what the builders were thinking but that is definitely not the right height.
Unless this was just a foot bath, we can't see how anyone is supposed to get comfortable with that shower head. Then again, as long as it's removable, it can't be that bad, right?