Surviving Your DIY Home Renovation

It always starts the same way: you’re scrolling through design inspiration, imagining weekend projects that somehow end with a magazine-ready reveal. Fast-forward a few weeks and you’re covered in grime standing in a half-tiled kitchen, holding a paint roller in one hand and a takeout menu in the other, wondering what you’ve done.

Take a breath — you’ve got this. Big DIY projects don’t have to be chaotic if you go in with the right mindset, a solid plan and a few pro-level tricks up your sleeve. Here’s what seasoned DIYers know before they start any project.

Before you swing a hammer, make a plan that’s as detailed as your Pinterest board. A pro move is to break your project into stages: demo, build, finish. Use Lowe’s online project calculators or free design consultations to help you forecast materials and costs before you buy. It’s way easier to swap a finish on paper than mid-install. Assign rough time and cost ranges to each. Always add at least 10–15% to your budget for the unexpected. Because there’s always something unexpected.

True insiders will tell you: you don’t have to do everything yourself. Electrical, plumbing or structural walls? Call in a licensed pro. But tiling, painting and installing fixtures? Totally doable with the right guidance. Use your network and ask friends for recommendations for professionals in your area.

For big projects, get more than one quote from a licensed professional. It not only helps you price shop, it helps familiarize you with the scope of work. Three quotes is a magic number, revealing a range of pricing and allowing you to get all your questions answered about how a project will be tackled. Make sure the quotes are itemized, breaking down material and labor. They should also give pricing for any high-cost material options you’re considering, for example the cost of a solid marble backsplash versus a subway tile.

Renovation chaos is inevitable, but how you prep makes all the difference.

• Strongly consider what you can live with before you start, especially if you have kids. Living in a space that’s being renovated is not only challenging; it has the potential to be dangerous. Sometimes it’s better to plan a project when you know you can send the family, pets and/or the kids to a relative or close friend’s house. A renovation is even harder if you work from home. The mess, the noise and the fatigue of doing work after work is a lot to consider. Going in with your eyes wide open sets you up for success.
• Bathrooms and kitchens are hard. Not only is the work more complicated than a coat of paint, both rooms are an essential part of your home. If you have only one bathroom in your home, be very careful about timing your project and figuring out alternatives to using the toilet or shower.
• Create a renovation survival zone. Set up a mini kitchen with a microwave and coffee maker. Keep a small selection of dishes and silverware available. Adjust your expectations on meal planning too, keep things low prep and easy to prepare without appliances.
• Pack and label properly. If you need to move things, pack like items and then label boxes with details to make things easier to unpack when you’re done. This allows you to frontload the important stuff and leave those decorative items for later.
• Create an essentials bag. Store everything you need daily that could easily get misplaced: toiletries, important papers, your chargers, computers or anything else you might want to take if you’re staying somewhere else when you’re done renovating for the day.
• Contain the dust. Zip-wall kits and plastic sheeting from Lowe’s will be your new best friend. There are sanders that attach to a vacuum allowing you to sand and pull the dust at the same time. Even if it seems like a small project, wear old clothes and always use the suggested safety gear.
  
• Invest in a construction vacuum. Your regular household vac won’t cut it with construction dust and debris. If you’re working on a larger renovation, it will pay for itself. Also, taking time out at the end of each workday to clean up the site leads to a better start the next day.
  
• Label everything. Grab a permanent marker and zip top bags, they’re a great way to keep screws and small items dust-free and organized. Use bins for tools, sticky notes for don’t-touch zones.
  
• Keep a small daily tools tote with all your essentials like painter’s tape, utility knife, pencil and measuring tape. It saves you hours of searching.
  

Budget blowouts don’t come from big mistakes; they come from a hundred small ones. Use a shared spreadsheet or the Lowe’s app to track every receipt and supply run. Buy materials in batches so you can return extras instead of stockpiling what you won’t use.

And when in doubt, invest in quality tools once. Renting is great for one-offs, but a solid drill, level and measuring tape will pay for themselves project after project.

Here’s the part no one warns you about: renovation fatigue is real. The mess, the noise and the endless decisions can wear you down. Schedule real downtime into your project calendar: no-work weekends, takeout nights and walks to clear your head.

Celebrate every milestone, even the small ones, like getting drywall up or picking the perfect grout color. A mid-project victory photo or a celebratory ice cream cone goes a long way.

As the final screws go in, resist the urge to rush the last 10%. Touch-ups, trim and finishing details make a huge difference. Once the space is complete, shift into style mode: add greenery, statement lighting, or a few quality décor pieces to tie everything together. This is when your project finally starts to feel real, and you can add in all of the personal touches that make your house a dream home.

Every homeowner’s project story is different, but the best ones share a theme: confidence and preparation. From free consultations to curbside pickup, Lowe’s is built for the DIYer who wants to do it right. Whether it’s expert advice in-store from our Red Vest Associates or a perfectly sized drill bit delivered to your door, Lowe’s is your partner for every stage, from demo day to the big reveal.