Remodeling Regrets and How to Avoid Them

Last updated: March 2026

There is an old saying that we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. It applies directly to remodeling.

If you tell a contractor or designer about something you want in a remodel, and they respond with, “Oh no, you don’t want THAT. What you really want is…” they may not be listening to you.

On the other hand, they might know that your request won’t actually work for you; like materials that might be harder to maintain, or a look so trendy that you’ll be tired of it in a couple of months. If you have a good relationship with your contractor or designer, you can both be honest about what you believe would be the best fit.

With that in mind, we’ve come up with a list of remodeling decisions you could regret, if your team isn’t working together and communicating.

Regret #1: Choosing Materials Without Thinking About Maintenance

This comes up constantly. A homeowner falls in love with a material in a showroom or on a design website and commits to it before understanding what living with it actually means. The most common examples:

Marble countertops are beautiful and they require real commitment. Marble needs to be sealed regularly, scratches more easily than most people expect, and is vulnerable to acidic spills like citrus juice, wine, and vinegar. If you have an active kitchen and do not want to think about your countertops, marble is probably not the right choice regardless of how good it looks.

Hardwood floors in kitchens and high-humidity spaces can cup, buckle, and stain over time, particularly in homes with pets or kids. Luxury vinyl plank and porcelain tile that mimic wood have gotten very good and hold up considerably better in those conditions.

Concrete countertops need sealing like marble and can still absorb oils and liquids even after sealing. They look great in the right context but they are a considered choice, not a default.

The conversation to have with your designer before committing to any material is simple: what does maintaining this look like in two years, five years, ten years? A good designer will give you an honest answer.

Regret #2: Getting the Lighting Wrong

Lighting mistakes are frustrating because they are expensive to fix after the fact. In kitchens particularly, the most common error is relying on overhead lighting alone. Overhead lights create shadows exactly where you are working. Under-cabinet lighting on every counter run solves this and is inexpensive to add during a remodel but a real project to retrofit afterward.

The second most common lighting regret is not putting everything on dimmers. Dimmers cost very little to add during construction and completely change how a space feels in the evening. A kitchen that is great for cooking dinner should also be able to feel relaxed and warm when you are sitting at the island with a drink an hour later.

Outlets are worth thinking through carefully as well. Where will small appliances live? Are there enough outlets at counter height? Is there a place to charge phones that keeps them off the counter? Inside-drawer charging stations are a small detail that gets used every single day in homes that have them.

Regret #3: Not Thinking Through How You Actually Use the Space

A designer who does not ask how you cook, how you shop, who is in the kitchen at the same time, and what drives you crazy about your current layout is not doing their job. The functional details matter as much as the aesthetic ones.

A few specific questions worth thinking through before your project begins:

• How much storage do you actually need? If you buy in bulk or cook from a large pantry, your storage needs are different from someone who shops frequently and keeps less on hand (see our post on transforming your space with smart kitchen storage solutions)

• Where does the microwave go? Over the range is common but not always the right answer depending on how often you use it and who in the household needs to access it

• How big can the island be? If there is room for a larger island than you initially planned, the additional prep space, seating, and storage underneath almost always justifies it

• Where does the clutter go? Every kitchen accumulates mail, chargers, homework, and miscellaneous items. A dedicated spot for that stuff keeps the rest of the kitchen from becoming a catch-all

Regret #4: Going Too Cheap on the Things You Use Every Day

Hindsight on a remodel almost always points in the same direction. Homeowners wish they had spent more on the things they touch and use constantly and less on things that are primarily visual.

The items that come up most often as "I wish I had spent more on this":

• Cabinet quality. Cabinets are the most-used element in any kitchen and the difference between a well-built cabinet and a budget one becomes obvious within a few years

• Sink size. If you have the space, a larger and deeper sink makes cooking and cleaning considerably more practical. It is one of those things that sounds minor and feels major once you have it

• Range or cooktop size. A 36-inch cooktop with five or six burners makes a real difference if you cook seriously or entertain regularly

• Backsplash height. A full-height backsplash to the upper cabinets is easier to clean than a short one, looks more finished, and is the right call almost every time

The Underlying Theme

Every one of these regrets comes back to the same thing: decisions made too quickly, without enough conversation, or without thinking through what day-to-day life with those decisions actually looks like. A remodel is a significant investment and most homeowners do it once. Taking the time to ask the right questions at the beginning saves real money and real frustration later.

If you are planning a kitchen or bathroom remodel in Ann Arbor or the surrounding area and want to think through the details before committing to anything, we'd love to have that conversation. For a sense of what a kitchen remodel costs in this area, see our kitchen remodel cost guide. 

If you have a new kitchen in mind, we don’t want you to regret anything. Call DreamMaker today to discuss ALL of the options. Call 734-669-4000, or email us at info@dm-remodel.com.