Living with a remodel you're not happy with

11 years ago

I often read posts on GW from people who are not happy with some aspect of their remodel. I lived with a backsplash for four years that I hated; the original installer had to return three times to fix mistakes, and the final result was subpar work. Not once did we have a guest over who commented on our pretty backsplash because it wasn't. I will admit that part of the problem was our error....the honed marble we selected was not a good color choice for our kitchen....but a lot of it was poor workmanship. So, we finally decided to replace the entire backsplash after four years of admiring my neighbors' backsplashes. The work started Monday and today (Wednesday) it just needs to be grouted, and I LOVE it! It's such a nice feeling to love the (almost) final result of a remodel. I'm curious to know how others have dealt with work they were not happy with...either because the work was substandard or they selected the wrong design (or both, as in my case). Did you just make the best of it or did you tear it out? I know some changes are easier made than others. In our case, all the sheetrock had to be removed and replaced (to the chagrin of our installer). I've posted a picture of our new backsplash, before grouting. It's a honed & filled Durango travertine, with glass and stone mosaic trim. And I do love it....finally!

This post was edited by ruthie51 on Wed, Apr 10, 13 at 13:46

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

Gooster
11 years ago
Congratulations on finally getting what you wanted! I'm just curious to see the "before"

Over the years, I've lived with suboptimal decisions and things that I preferred didn't happen, mostly due to budget. But over time, I got used to most of them. The suboptimal work and bad choices in my back patio still bug us, and it eventually will get corrected. For me, all it does is shorten the usable lifetime of the item.
ruthie51
Original Author
11 years ago
Here's a picture from our first backsplash. Note the crooked seam on the 45 degree angle and the ugly schluter on top (we used schluter per the recommendation of our installer....yes, we were dumb). And you can't see it in the picture, but the cabinet on the left side is an angled door and the schluter went right into the door so it precluded us from opening it all the way.

This post was edited by ruthie51 on Wed, Apr 10, 13 at 13:10
Related Discussions
Happy to be living in Florida
Q
Comments (15)
Thanks Nancy ~ I have one LP that is higher than my shed and growing up with a bougainvillea of almost the same color. You can see a brighter red bloom upper right that is a LP bloom. I did some pruning recently so there's not as many rose blooms up there. The limbs were creeping across the shed's roof. The Cottage Rose I think that's the name of it, is the one that you gave me and I love it. It is in my main garden. The other one you gave me is Smith's Parish and it's in the garden back by my potting area. It's a really nice rose also. I thank you very much for both of them. Yes there are good and bad points about living anywhere. Tornadoes, ice storms, fires, freezing temps, hot and humid temps. We try to learn contentment and to see the beauty in wherever we live and try to ignore the bad. I was just out for about 1 1/2 hours pulling ferns out of my main garden, they had taken it over and little by little I am getting them out of there. FlowerLady
...See More
Master bathroom remodel is finished! Very happy.
Q
Comments (26)
Love your bathroom. I remember the original thread but must have missed this one. Question: how are you liking your bypass door to the shower? I am thinking of on similar to yours. I haven't got the tile done yet though. I have a cast iron pan and can't put any screws in the base. Can you tell me a bit about how you like the function, cleaning, ease of use, etc, with your door setup? Thanks.
...See More
Top 10 signs you're in for a princess DYI remodel experience
Q
Comments (12)
Here's My Top 10 list of the "Princess DIY" 10--You own three pairs of Timberland work boots, all in tan. 9--One full drawer in your dresser holds "renovation" clothing of questionable origin. 8--Your workbench area has two different tool belts for different times of the month. 7--You compare Paslode horror stories with your carpenter and the ensuing emergency measures required. 6--You stop by Home Depot for a few nails and other customers assume you work there and start asking you questions--which you graciously answer. 5--At parties, you find yourself telling your friends about the contractor "eye candy" appearing weekdays from 7am to 9am in their natural habitat at Home Depot. You tell everyone...it's a must see. 4--You realize that you now possess 6 power drills. Like rabbits, they seem to multiply. 3--You ask for one of those cute red sweatshirts that all the staffers at the local lumber yard wear as uniforms so you can wear it with your thong on the beach next summer. 2--You serve mid-afternoon espresso to the crew putting in your new windows. 1--Last preps before starting renovation--mascara and fresh lipstick.
...See More
If these were you're living rooms how would you arrange them?
Q
Comments (43)
Really nice home and property. You could simply remove any central vac system and invest in a Roomba -- that could get rid of one something along one wall and let you square room 1. https://www.google.com/search?q=Roomba&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1l-Ll87bnAhXJSt8KHZjVD0QQsxh6BAgPECs&biw=1366&bih=628#spf=1580785213419 For heating purposes in a large old two story home, being able to close off the stairwell should be the primary concern since heat rises. From personal experience ... if you have a wood stove, you'd be better much served putting it in a larger room or in a room open to multiple rooms. NOT in a small room such as room 3. If you have a wood heater, you could put it either in or in front of your fireplace (with triple wall metal stove pipe lining the chimney for safety). If you don't want to make room 3 your new Foyer/Entry ... but if you want the room 2&3 side of the house to be your front of the house ... another way to use the rooms is worth considering: You have a tiny bathroom very close to the kitchen/eating area. Budget permitting, the best use of room three could well be closing it off from room 2 and creating a new full bath in room 3. That would enable you to square the informal dining room and move the bathroom farther away from the kitchen and dining area. Once you've moved the bathroom, you could recreate the space between kitchen and informal dining with a pass thru kitchen cabinet "wall" that you can walk all the way around. https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/remodeling/architectural-details/home-design-ideas-room-dividers/?slide=slide_2bf3e1c7-021a-4262-9de6-fd5daf3777a7#slide_2bf3e1c7-021a-4262-9de6-fd5daf3777a7 Keeping only one interior door to enter room 2 from room 3 means you could use room 2 as a bonus room -- usable as a bedroom or as you choose. It also means you can keep that one door to room 2 closed and not fully heat it all the time. You could keep as is or alter or (if not load bearing) remove the wall between dining and informal living room to create a single elongated rectangle shaped "great room" -- kitchen, dining, family room. If you created a pony wall between dining wall and informal living, your wood heater in the fireplace could heat the entire great room area. You could keep as many posts as needed for support in that pony wall and, with a solid back on the informal living room room side, you can put any furnishings you choose by it with the back to the pony wall. You could alter the porch beside room 2 between the window to room 2 and the door to room 1 to create a wider porch there that wraps around the side of room 1 several feet. You could even enclose that area and create a new foyer and make the rest of the porch on the right side of room 2 your front porch. Then in that back corner off the kitchen at a right angle to room 3, remove the shallow/narrow open porch and create a square deck or patio there with a rail around it and steps exiting on the left side toward what would be the back of your home. You might also consider a "green wall" -- row of shrubs -- all across the yard so guests are led to the new foyer on the right side of the home.
...See More
mark_rachel
11 years ago
Oh I've lived with lots of things in our house that I'm not thrilled about, but I just ignore them for the most part. I know we will eventually get to them. Like the carpet upstairs. It's not that bad, but it's just builder grade carpet. Blah!! A couple of paint colors have come out differently then I had planned. The thought of repainting an entire room keeps me from changing it. Your new backsplash looks great!! I'm sure you feel great finally getting what you wanted all along.
sail_away
11 years ago
I can't answer your original question, but congratulations on getting the backsplash you wanted. I can see why the original installation would have been problematic. Did you keep something in front of that corner to try to hide it somewhat, or just have too look at it every day? Have you also repainted? The new photo looks like a gold color, whereas the old one looks rose or peach colored.

Anyway, your new, finished look is lovely.
ruthie51
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, sail-away, we kept our Keurig coffeemaker in front of that seam! We haven't repainted the kitchen, I guess the camera flash made the walls look lighter. And speaking of repainting, we also did that in other parts of the house. We had a color designer here whose services came with the painting company we went with. We liked a lot of what she selected, but I never really liked the two story foyer and dining room selections. After living with it for two years, we finally repainted. Needless to say, we haven't taken any vacations in about six years....
ellendi
11 years ago
The wrong backsplash happened to me. I lived with the sample tile for weeks. Who would predict that when all installed together it would give a grey cast to the entire backsplash? It looked horrible. Within two days, it was ripped out. It took me months to make another decision. I like the way my kitchen looks now and I know there was no way the other backsplash could have worked in my kitchen.
kaismom
11 years ago
In the past 15 years of our marriage, we have done countless remodel/upgrade/fixes to our house. We have spent more money than I thought I could possibly spend on a house. At this point, we have stopped adding up because the actual total amount acknowledged would lead me to a panic attack.

In order for me to redo something, it depends on how much money there is in the bank account and what else I want/need to do with that money.

There is a lot in the house that is not perfect but I live with them as is. My rationale is that it is better than how it was before I remodeled.

At this point is my life, I spend more money on 'experiential' things and less on 'material things'.
a2gemini
11 years ago
Congratulations on a second backsplash - Looks great and you will enjoy it!
I am glad it was your new one that I was seeing first as I thought it was great!

Living with a remodel you're not happy with

Comments (8)

Gooster

ruthie51
Original Author

Related Discussions

mark_rachel

sail_away

ruthie51
Original Author

ellendi

kaismom

a2gemini

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Living with a remodel you're not happy with

Comments (8)

Gooster

ruthie51Original Author

Related Discussions

mark_rachel

sail_away

ruthie51Original Author

ellendi

kaismom

a2gemini

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

ruthie51
Original Author

ruthie51
Original Author