“We’d moved into our first home with a small backyard that was a disaster. Overgrown, ignored, a real wasteland. But our daughter’s third birthday was coming up and I had it in my head that we needed the yard ready for her party. My poor husband had gone through the ringer to clear it - but there was still no grass.
The week before the party, he was away on a business trip. I panic-bought about 40 rolls of sod the day he came home. Around 10:00 that night, he went to my SUV for something and as soon as he opened the car door, he said it was like stepping into a tropical rain forest inside. The air was thick with humidity and smelled like a farm.
Turns out, sod is a living, breathing thing - and should not be stored in cars.
I’ll never forget the sight of him outside, headlamp on, sweating up a storm, tamping down roll after roll of sod at midnight. It’s no wonder why our next-door neighbor was such a “homeowner coach” after that night.”
Jen S., Montville
“Our house had a wide, odd-shaped driveway that needed sealing. I picked a nice, clear weekend to get it done - sealant has to dry. After a few hours and over 25 buckets later, I was nearly done, but went inside to take a break for water. Just in time to look out the window to see a sudden rainstorm coming down.
I lost some trust of local meteorologists that day, and Home Depot sold a lot more buckets of sealant.”
D.S., Wayne
“We had an older home with some exposed pipes in the basement. When one of them had a problem, we called our plumber to come take a look. After his quick fix, he mentioned that he thought that they might be wrapped with asbestos, but he wasn’t sure. If we had him remove it, he would have to report it as a possible environmental issue, so he suggested we do it ourselves.
While it turned out to be harmless, we had a new respect for people who work with hazardous materials. Wearing hazmat gear and high-end breathing equipment in your own basement is pretty nerve-wracking. We’ve certainly had better date nights.”
Ann L., Upper Montclair
First time homeowners can find themselves in over their heads on the simplest of circumstances. Here are a couple of lessons learned from some locals.