When it comes to home renovations, they never go exactly as planned. There is almost always an unexpected obstacle to overcome or a hurdle to jump. Some of these obstacles are just little speedbumps while others feel like a 30 foot wall in the middle of your way.

This post is going to address those major hurdles. We will spend some time looking at the different obstacles you might hit so that you can prepare yourself for the coming possibilities. Unfortunately a lot of these things are not DIY friendly except for the highly skilled DIYers out there so if these things do unfortunately come up in your home remodel then you may have to get a skilled professional involved.

So without further ado, lets get into it!

Foundation Issues:

Before we go further with the discussion on foundation issues, we must acknowledge the fact that there are different types of foundations and each will have slightly different issues, though most times the differences between problems is minimal.

The 3 most common foundation types are slab, crawlspace, and basements. All three types could have the possibility of having these issues: cracking, leaks, crumbling and deterioration, and unlevel/sinking foundation.

A post was put out by Forbes that has some really good information on foundation issues and on how to spot and address them. Budget dumpster also put out a great post on how to spot foundation issues.

While there are many areas that you can DIY on your home, we do not advise DIYing your homes foundation unless you really know what you are doing. If the foundation is done poorly, you run the risk of the whole project being ruined if the foundation fails.

We had a customer come in who was working on a basement remodel that was to be turned into a AirBnB, which had some really bad foundation issues. When he bought the house everything seemed great, but as he got into the remodel of the home he found some unfortunate issues left by the home builder 16 years before. It ended up costing him $12,000 to fix and it set him months behind on the project.

The cost of doing a poor job on the foundation is way too high to risk trying to DIY it! Make sure you get a professional!

Electrical/Plumbing Issues:

Outdated and poorly done electrical and plumbing can cause major issues for your home if not taken care of. The majority of house fires are due to issues with electrical failures and outdated wiring.

Many issues with rot, mold, and other issues stem from leaks in plumbing as well. We have many customers come in who are dealing with leaks due to their fridge or their dishwasher leaking all over the floor.

We had a customer named Jessica come in after buying an old log home. What started as a simple flooring upgrade became a major home remodel as they found issues with water leaks, rotted floors, and even an exposed bathroom pipe over top of the kitchen sink! You must be aware of the plumbing and if you do any of the plumbing work on your own, make sure you do it right or years later you may run into a similar problem as Jessica!

in the same way, due to a poorly done electrical remodel before they bought their home, Derek and his family have had numerous issues over the years with their electricity. When they bought the house their were exposed wires everywhere and now half of the electrical outlets and lights either don’t work at all or short out so much that it’s better to just not use them. Make sure that in prepping to do a remodel you hire the right people and don’t do it yourself so that things are done correctly the first time!

Contaminants:

Mold, lead paint, asbestos, and other types of contaminants can be horrible for people living in a home, and unfortunately it is fairly common to run into issues with these things when doing a remodel.

When water leaks are left unchecked it can very easily lead to mold and decay in the home. Unfortunately a common misconception for people dealing with mold issues is that bleach will kill mold. Unfortunately that is no the case. For more info check out this post from Normi.org.

Before 1980, homes that were built often had lead based paint. The paint when disturbed can cause a lead dust to fill the air which can be extremely toxic to anyone in the area.

Asbestos is a natural material that is often found in insulation and other parts of your home. It can also be extremely harmful to humans. When renovating older homes make sure to check for all of these issues and act accordingly. You may have to hire someone to test the materials in your home or hire a contractor who can safely take care of the materials. For more information on hiring the right professional for the job, go here.

There are some simple fixes that could be done to take care of things like lead paint and asbestos, however it is best to look into all of the options before taking steps forwards.

Termite Damage:

If found too late termite damage can completely destroy a home or project. Tom came to us in 2021 looking for lumber for his project. He told us that he was renovating a 900 square foot hunting cabin. Unfortunately Tom had found so much termite damage that he was having to consider tearing down the whole building and starting over from the ground up!

Termites are no joke for a home. Orkin put out a great post explaining how to find termite damage. You can find that post here.

If you find you have termite damage then you should immediately begin research pest control companies who can come help you. You will also want to look into the extent of the damage done to your home. Hopefully you will have found the termites before the damage gets too severe.

Water Leaks:

We spoke briefly on the issue of water leaks earlier in this post, but the issue could be expounded upon further. Water damage can be a major issue in a home. Leaky roofs, faulty plumbing or appliances, and cracked foundations can all allow moisture and leaks into your home which could in turn cause serious damage.

While working through your home renovations, watch for water damage and if you spot some, check and see what the source of the issue might be. Sometimes it will turn into a non-issue, but often you could have a much greater problem on your hand.

Conclusion:

We hope you have found this post helpful and useful. When you are prepping for a home remodel, hopefully these thoughts will help you to be better prepared for some of the coming challenges and can give you some confidence as you go forward!

Leave a comment below if you have any questions or thoughts on this post!

Renovating Older Homes: Challenges to be Aware of