I freely admit that I have watched more than my share of house-hunting shows. My favorites fall into two categories – seeing homes (and prices) in US cities where I would consider moving next and seeing homes in international locations where I know I’ll never go (e.g., Southeast Asia) but would love to visit (e.g., South America). Although it may seem like a logical transition to pivot from house shopping to remodeling shows, I avoid the latter. More often than not, they’re just too scary.
Behind the Scenes (and the Walls)
When design experts glamorize their remodeling ideas, focusing on appearance not structure while acting as though they are in complete control of the situation, I’m always worried about what happens next. What happens when the unsuspecting homeowner lives in the house for a while and things begin to go wrong? Actually, I wonder if the magic of TV lasts longer in these homes, so that somehow they are immune from needing building codes and proper construction.
As proof that my fears are genuine, I was relieved to see an article in the May 2021 issue of The Journal of Light Construction. In “Troubleshooting—A Troubled Tiny House,” Jim Bradley and Chris West expose a number of problems (and the cost to fix them) that have occurred because what looks good on television doesn’t always work in real life. Tasked with fixing this home on wheels, they add:
“… the realities of marrying a small wooden structure to a steel trailer without considering basic physics is fraught with danger. Building science principles must be respected whether you’re building a mobile home or a traditional structure—or a tiny house…”
What Kind of Expert is Giving You Advice?
We’ve all heard it before – looks can be deceiving. When someone speaks to you with the air of authority, sounding as though they know all of the answers, are they speaking from a position of knowledge and experience regarding the elements that really matter? Or, does their advice actually focus on superficial and cosmetic details? Pretty wrappers mean much less after the cameras stop rolling and you are left with the product – good or bad – of following someone’s “expert” advice.