How to stop renovating and just enjoy a new house
Urgent repairs and a mountain of projects right after moving in lead to rapid burnout and constant spending. Trying to fix everything at once stops you from actually living in the home and leaves you too exhausted to appreciate it.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 17.6× more often in r/HomeImprovement than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1riding the momentum to finish projects quickly before pets move inDid this help you?
- 2hiring vendors and using lockboxes to manage multiple projects at onceDid this help you?
- 3monitoring savings to avoid spending too much money too fastDid this help you?
- 4Doing a lot of the labor independently with family help to save moneyDid this help you?
- 5Tackling projects room by room over timeDid this help you?
- 6DIY the demolition after basic planning and educating yourselfDid this help you?
- 7Start with a designer who may have trusted contractors and can help negotiate the priceDid this help you?
- 8Find out if the wall is load bearing as the very first stepDid this help you?
- 9Asking online forums for advice on what red flags and overlooked details to watch forDid this help you?
- 10Checking reviews and talking to multiple sales representatives beforehandDid this help you?
- 11Ensuring permits are pulled and official inspections are performedDid this help you?
- 12keeping excess cash in a bank savings accountDid this help you?
- 13putting money into CDsDid this help you?
- 14getting a HELOC as soon as able to pay all bills using velocity bankingDid this help you?
- 15Taking on debt such as home equity lines of credit (HELOCs)Did this help you?
- 16Doing the remodeling or project prep work entirely by oneselfDid this help you?
- 17Waiting years while actively saving a specific amount annuallyDid this help you?
- 18Relying on family money, generational wealth, or inheritancesDid this help you?
- 19Funding projects through one-time windfalls like stock options or RSUsDid this help you?
- 20Using a paint sprayer for the ceilings and walls to speed up application.Did this help you?
- 21Painting the ceiling white and using the exact same color for baseboards and walls in different finishes.Did this help you?
- 22Painting after moving in by keeping furniture three feet away from the walls and using drop cloths.Did this help you?
- 23Using a 5-gallon bucket with a painting screen instead of a standard roller tray.Did this help you?
- 24Building an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or guest suite over a detached garage.Did this help you?
- 25Renovating the backyard to make the overall living space feel larger.Did this help you?
- 26Spending discretionary income on travel, toys, or experiences instead of house upgrades.Did this help you?
- 27Putting guests in a nearby hotel instead of building a dedicated guest room.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Plain and simple, how do people afford these projects?”source ↗
“I generally do not understand how my friends and neighbors are buying larger homes and spending the money to improve them”source ↗
“I truly do not understand what everyone is is doing. I wish I could see a handful of friend’s tax forms anonymously to understand how they afford their lifestyles”source ↗
“I bought a house that needs long term work to update it. I am anticipating taking on a complete kitchen reno in 5-7 years and trying to figure out the best way to fund it.”source ↗
“Would it be better to pay extra on the mortgage (and chip away at the principal along the way) for the time and then take a HELOC out when I’m ready, or to just put that extra $1k into savings and avoid HELOC financing charges?”source ↗
“Renovate ASAP early with young kids? Spending like crazy, recent home purchase.”source ↗
“Question is, now that is done and a contractor is chosen what should I pay attention to when the roofers come? Any specific things that tend to be overlooked? Any corners they like to cut but shouldn't be cut? Any red flags?”source ↗
“I am paying a ton of money for this and would like to be 100% sure it is done right.”source ↗
“Help! We are settling on our first home next week (14th) It desperately needs new carpet and a fresh coat of paint. We move out from our rental on the 24th.”source ↗
“Now….. is it too optimistic to get it all painted in 4 days ? Start with baseboards (so it has most time to dry) or wait until after we have moved in but then be juggling moving all our stuff.”source ↗
“I’m heavily pregnant so time is limited 😅 what would you do? We are thinking ceiling just white, baseboards and walls same colour (different finish) to save on time.”source ↗
“At 6 and 4 the biggest thing they need is a swing set. They won't care about the rest, and you won't be able to enjoy anything else because you're chasing kids...”source ↗
“My family lives in a small 3 bed, 2 bath ranch home. It's far from a dream home and is a little tight, but it works for us.”source ↗
“We've looked at homes recently, but it's difficult to justify any move with how both home prices and interest rates have increased.”source ↗
“Some people are telling me to enjoy the house. But there is a lot I feel still is a problem. 😐”source ↗
“Have I done to much since buying the house at the end of June?”source ↗
“We are a family of 4 (two teens) in a 3 bed/1 bath. PITI is 10% of our net income. No plans to change it.”source ↗