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Told my sister I'd tile her kitchen and then ate my words in Portland
We were redoing her kitchen in Portland last spring, and I had this whole plan to save her money by doing the tile backsplash myself. I've tiled two bathrooms and a fireplace, so I figured how hard could it be. But she wanted these huge porcelain slabs, not small tiles, and I kept measuring wrong. After three messed up cuts and a cracked slab that cost $180, she called in a pro who finished in one afternoon. Now I'm torn between feeling like I gave up too fast or actually smart for knowing my limit. Her kitchen looks perfect, but my pride still stings a little. Has anyone else hit that wall where you had to hand a job over mid-project? Do you think DIY means doing it all or just knowing when to stop?
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oliver21mo ago
Three years ago I would've said you gave up too fast. I was the guy who'd fight a project to the bitter end, even if it looked terrible. Then I spent a weekend installing laminate flooring in my own hallway and the seams were so bad my wife made me rip it out and pay someone. That was a $400 lesson in knowing my limits. You didn't fail, you just realized the math didn't work for your skill set. Big porcelain slabs are a whole different beast than small tiles, and a pro has the tools and muscle memory for it. Your sister got a perfect kitchen and you saved her from a week of frustration. That's a win, even if it doesn't feel like one yet.
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