Successfully UN-planned DIY Project

by Dan & Celeste Orr
(Zanesville, OH)

UN-Planned? So, how does that work?

Like this: After years of doing 99% of all remodeling, etc, between my lovely wife and I, we found ourselves with some extra cash and decided we would hire a contractor to rebuild the 12x24 deck on the back of the house while we sat under the shade tree drinking lemonade.

The original plan was to have them strip the old deck floor and use the planking to floor a platform at the edge of the yard that we would be installing a shed on.

Well, about a week into the project, we took a hard look at the shed platform and realized our "contractor" was anything but a skilled worker. Once we started asking for receipts (NEVER give a substantial deposit to someone you haven't thoroughly checked out), it became apparent that not only was he incompetent, but he also kept our deposit to pay his back child support (admitted this in court!)

Long story short, we sued and won triple damages, which he is slowly paying off.

Rewind to the day we kicked him off the property, and here we are with the existing deck frame, shoddy framing for the lower deck we asked him to design, and a new shed on a wobbly platform.

My better half convinced me that we could do the job ourselves - and I finally gave in. I honestly have to say it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be - just buy a whole bunch of lumber and cut off everything that doesn't look like a deck!

I will admit we went a little overboard - adding a wet bar, tin roof, custom electric and cable built into the framing, etc. And a little over budget, I might add - but worth every aching muscle and every penny spent!

Hope you enjoy seeing it as much as we enjoy relaxing on it!