'Okay, have it your way': Smug DIYer losing $3,000 dollars worth of decking after ignoring the sage advice of a professional

Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor

Feb 26, 2024 12:00 PM EST

These days, every DIY enthusiast sees 'amateurs' online who are achieving their home improvement goals without any experience. Armed with a flathead screwdriver, hand-me-down power tools, and a whole lot of gumption, a lot of DIYers feel builder's confidence flowing through them before ever setting foot into a hardware store. But regardless of their smug arrogance, at the end of the day, DIY builders lack the experience and the know-how to properly get things done.

Take for instance the guy in our next story–drunk on the prospects of building his deck (and saving on the cost of hiring professionals), this particular busybody got the lesson of a lifetime after ignoring the wisdom of a seasoned pro. Scroll onward to read how one man lost thousands of dollars of building materials after failing to acknowledge the tried-and-true sage advice from the one man at the loading dock who offered to help him.

After this, here's another story of a pair of newbies in the neighborhood who wanted to improve their house–only to get ousted by their impetuous HOA.