why do projects fail ?
by
Itsreally C
+8
? ? for us who do the work for a living, failure is usually due to inexperience w/new materials/method,,, for the average diy'er, improper/inadequate preparation leads the list,,, it also likely the diy'er will select wrong/inadequate/not enough material for the task at hand,,, primarily his/her decision is governed by what the local apron/vest store sells, has in stock, was recommended by the nice man, how much the product costs, & cost of necessary tools - NONE of this means diy'ers can't/won't complete the task to satisfaction/pro level - just do it like a pro & you'll get pro results !
11 answers
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Celebrate the successes!
James A
on Sep 28, 2011
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I have seen it boil down to time and cost far more than any others. Good prep takes time and Time is Money....In the world of email, text messaging and fast food. People want stuff fast and Cheap....Hell the whole Wallmart business model is based on this. True craftsmanship takes time...and experience. It carries over into furniture as well... http://www.networx.com/article/how-fiberboard-furniture-compares-to-sol
KMS Woodworks
on Sep 28, 2011
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Very good topic for discussion ITC, improper project management, in experience, indecisiveness by the owner leads to project failures. A successful project is an effort done onboth sides, the owner as well as the contractor. A good contract and an experienced team + Owner with clear project requirements and finances will lead to a project success.
Yamini LEED AP at Urbanmotifs
on Sep 28, 2011
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DIY projects oftentimes fail because the owner had no understanding as you said of what the task at hand really about. The DIY shows really do not show what is truly involved when doing renovations. They show the highs of tearing out, the lows of putting back in when it does not fit. But the concept of time is something that people just do not understand. Those doing projects as an inexperienced DIY'r simply cannot remove and install a kitchen in three or four days as they show on TV. Heck its hard enough for the guy that does it for a living to do it that fast. Tools are another big issue. It really scares me to watch those on TV using some of the power equipment that can cut off their hand or leg and doing it so in a really unsafe manner. The writers of these programs do not realize that most people learn from watching, and watching someone who has no business using a tool that can hurt them when using it incorrectly can eventually can cause someone that watches it their hand or leg.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Sep 28, 2011
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Woodbridge, I am with you. I would encourage DIY'ers to research, learn and listen. The internet (and definitely Hometalk) can be a great source of information. Also I encourage new DIY'ers to watch shows like Renovation Reality and Holmes Inspection to see some real issues. Above all realize that if things go wrong, you may end up paying more to have a pro fix it or you may do some serious damage to your home (thinking about a show watching a new DIY'er was taking out a load bearing wall and putting in an 800 pound beam -- after numerous errors he got it in but I sure am concerned about whether he truly did it right).
Kevin M. Veler, Law Office of
on Sep 28, 2011
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This IS a great topic. A lot of my DIY knowledge came from the pro's that Home Depot used to hire, That was a long time ago and it makes me sad that you don't find that anymore. (and more than a little bit scary that they have inexperienced employees offering advice)
Micci S
on Sep 29, 2011
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Micci, I do not think its the employees that they hire, its the fact that these big box stores do not hire enough people that have the time to answer peoples questions in detail. They all have a lot of training on the subject in which area of the store that they work in, but with less people working in store, many are in areas in which they have little knowledge. This is what makes a site such as this a great place to gain knowledge. I have been doing this on another site the professionals go to for answers to their questions for several years. I find this place much more fun to help people at and the contractors here really enjoy answering peoples questions. Many of the questions will challenge me for an answer, but it makes me do research in areas that I know little about..
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Sep 29, 2011
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Woodbridge, I agree with low staffing and not enough time, but 20 years ago I could walk into electrical and talk to an electrician (w/15 years experience), gardening and talk to a landscaper, paint, lumber, etc. (and I don't mean to sound harsh, the employees are usually really nice and seem to care a lot.) ~ Maybe just a little reminiscent ~ and I do love this site and yes, it is fun!
Micci S
on Sep 29, 2011
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remember when h/d opened in woodbridge staff'd w/former pro's who had gotten out of their trade either by retirement OR couldn't make a living,,, 6mos later, they were gone replaced by lesser cost people,,, typically the only training an apron/vest store's staff receives is from vendors as there's just no training $$$ at those places,,, ' buy cheap, get cheap ' still applies - remember, suppliers are pro's, too - you just won't find 'em in the average apron/vest places
Itsreally C
on Sep 29, 2011
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Thankyou KMS,you said it beautifully.
Garden Rebel / Sims Landscaping, Co.
on Sep 29, 2011
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One thing that I find is that many homeowners (who have never done any DIY projects themselves) simply have no idea what things cost. I've had people expect that their total kitchen remodel would only cost them a couple thousand dollars, but then they want "high-end" cabinets, countertops, etc. When the price quote comes in at 10 times their expected cost, they look at me like I'm trying to rip them off (which of course I'm not). I had one guy think that I should be able to rewire an entire house for "certainly no more than $3000" which he though was actually a high cost for both labor and materials - the materials alone were close to $8000.
Dan's of Central Florida, Inc.
on Sep 29, 2011
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