Why Going Cheap on These Builds Will Cost You Later
DIY is a constant struggle between getting the most bang for your buck and trying not to spend very much at all. But there are some things you simply shouldn’t cheap out on no matter what. The following things need to be built with good materials, otherwise it may lead to trouble further down the line – or worse, serious injury.
Decks
Many people get a great sense of pride and accomplishment from building their first deck – then it all falls apart, because they cheaped out. Inexpensive wood can rot, warp, or corrode quickly, and many people have been injured by their deck this way.
Kitchen Cabinets
Many a person has made their kitchen cabinets out of cheap wood and fixtures and decided they look fine – then they’re surprised a few months later when they come away from the wall. Looks aren’t everything, you also need to be building things to last.
Roofing
Your roof is one of the most important things about your house and deserves to have a lot of money spent on it. Low-quality roof materials can get ruined quickly under exposure to the elements, leading to leaks, mold, and eventually serious structural damage.
Bathroom Fixtures
Never buy cheap pipes. They will leak, burst, or warp under pressure or even just temperature changes, causing water damage. And no-one needs to be reminded of just how expensive and stressful water damage is.
Furniture
It can be really tempting to buy cheap DIY furniture when it looks nice on the website. But then people get their cheap shelving units (say) home, start stacking things on them, and they fall apart instantly. Furniture is worth spending a lot of money on, because ideally it should last you for decades.
Doors
Doors are another really important part of your house, and you should go all out when it comes to them. Badly made doors can warp in humidity, which is very bad news if you live somewhere humid. Other cheap doors muffle sound poorly and dent easily, causing you so many headaches.
Flooring
Cheap flooring squeaks, stains easily if you spill something and is difficult to repair. Even worse, it’s thought that some cheap flooring can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which contribute to air pollution. But good, expensive flooring will give you peace of mind.
Fencing
Do you want to spend the rest of your life repairing your fence? No? Then make sure you spend money on it to start with. Fences made from cheap materials such as untreated wood or low-grade PVC often fail completely when the rain, storms and snow start in your area.
Windows
Windows are another vitally important part of your house, so it’s important you spend a lot of money on them upfront if you don’t want to be doing constant expensive repairs. Cheap windows will also drive up your heating bills by letting drafts in.
Shelving
If you have a lot of heavy things in your house that need storing, you’re simply going to have to put up sturdy and expensive shelves. If you build cheap ones, and they collapse, they could well take some of your most valuable items with them.
Closet Organizers
Some people think making a closet organizer is a great first DIY project, and they jump into it headfirst without thinking of how much they actually should be spending. Then they don’t buy the right kind of wood and next thing they know they have a broken closet organizer.
Patio Furniture
Patio furniture is another thing people decide would be a great first DIY project, because after all it’s not held to the same standards as indoor furniture. But their efforts are all for naught, because the cheaply made patio furniture collapses as soon as the wind starts blowing.
Garage Storage Systems
People excitedly build new storage for their garage without taking into consideration just how heavy garage tools are. They build for example a pegboard, go to hang their heavy tools off it… and down goes the board. Many people have been injured this way.
Kitchen Counters
Countertops are among the most used surfaces in the house, so they need to have a lot of time and effort put into them. Cheap countertops can scratch and stain easily, or they can even warp when exposed to water – which there’s obviously a lot of in a kitchen.
Outdoor Sheds
So many people have delighted in their new, self-built shed and then found it only lasts a few weeks at most. A shed built with poor materials will collapse, potentially ruining everything inside the shed or even causing injury.
Stair Railings
Can you imagine reaching for a stair railing and having it come away in your hands as you’re walking upstairs? That’s the stuff of nightmares, and so you should never cheap out on stair railings. Use the most expensive materials you can find, and consult a professional if there’s anything you’re unsure about.
Children’s Play Structures
Many parents, people who would do anything for their little ones, decide to build them their own play structure. This is an area where you should never, ever cheap out on the wood. Even one splinter can be upsetting, but imagine if the whole thing collapsed.
Pergolas and Gazebos
A pergola or gazebo can be a lovely addition to a garden, but you have to be careful and use only the best materials. Exposure to sun, rain, and wind can cause inferior materials to warp, crack and rot, leading the whole thing to fall down when the weather changes.
Fireplace Surrounds
Fireplace surrounds are exposed to, well, fire, so you’d think people would be more careful about them. They’re not, though. They make their fireplace surrounds with cheap materials like thin MDF or imitation stone, and these soon prove to be unsafe.
Wall-Mounted TVs and Shelves
There’s a reason that people charge so much money for wall-mounting TVs and shelves, it’s not anywhere near as easy as it looks. And using cheap materials will probably lead to the TV crashing off the wall, destroying it and costing a lot of money.
Bathroom Vanities
Bathroom vanities built from cheap materials like particleboard, MDF, or plastic laminates don’t hold up well in wet, humid conditions. And unfortunately, that’s exactly what a bathroom is – a wet, humid place.
Driveways and Walkways
People often think it would save money to make their own driveway, but massively underestimate how much the materials will cost. So they go for low-grade asphalt or thin concrete, and end up with a driveway that develops potholes within a few years.
Insulation
Cheap or badly installed insulation often degrades over time, completely reducing its effectiveness and sending your energy bills skyrocketing. It may also trap moisture, leading to mold or mildew problems. Do your research before you start the project.
Staircases
So many accidents take place on staircases that it’s really important you don’t cheap out when it comes to making one. Cheap stairs can collapse under too much weight, and that could lead to someone being seriously injured.
Wall Paneling and Trim
Using cheap materials like thin MDF, vinyl, or plastic for wall paneling and trim is a very bad idea. These materials dent, warp, and peel away easily, especially in humid environments, and the result is often a completely ruined room.
Dog Houses and Animal Shelters
Your pet probably means a lot to you, so why would you cheap out on their home? Don’t build a dog house with low quality materials, or it could collapse on the animal when the weather gets bad, leading to serious injury and a lot of guilt.
Bunk Beds
Bunk beds are usually used by children, so you owe it to them not to cheap out and make their bunk bed poorly. No soft pine or particleboard. Really, if you’re in the slightest bit concerned about your ability to build a bunkbed, you should leave it to the professionals.
Bookcases
Here is another piece of furniture where you shouldn’t use thin MDF or cheap particleboard. Books are much heavier than people realize, and many a person has piled their books on a poorly built bookcase only to lose both bookcase and books.
Interior Partitions or Room Dividers
Thin plywood and plastic sheeting are the things you want to avoid here. Badly made dividers can warp and crack over time, costing you a lot of money to fix. So try and get it right the first time.
Mailboxes and Posts
Don’t make your mailbox from cheap plastic or thin metal. It may save money, but it can look awful, and eventually the materials will crack. Be warned that flimsy-looking mailboxes are often targets for vandalism as well.
Outdoor Kitchens
Sure, outdoor kitchens seem like a nice idea at the time, but people often don’t realize how much money goes into making one. If you cheap out and go for inexpensive materials, you could soon find your outdoor kitchen subject to rust, warping, and corrosion. Ask an expert for advice if you’re not sure.
Kitchen Backsplashes
A kitchen backsplash should protect your walls as well as looking good. Buying low quality tiles could mean problems down the line as the tiles crack and slip. Cheap tiles don’t do well in a kitchen environment, you see, so you should always go for the more expensive ones.
Electrical Wiring
Never, ever cheap out on an electrical wiring system – that’s a good way to set your house on fire. Buy the highest quality materials you can find and consult as many books and video tutorials as you can before going to work.
Fire Pits
Many people think their garden will look great with a fire pit, but then they buy the cheapest materials possible and are severely let down. And a poorly made fire pit is a safety risk, too. Use things that are too cheap and flimsy and they could even explode, causing serious injury.
Attic Flooring
Installing attic flooring is much harder than it looks. You need to bear in mind that it needs to support your weight, and the weight of the items inside the attic. Use cheap material, and you could put your foot through it one day, leading to an expensive repair.
