50 Strange Things People Have Done to Their Homes
Updated: Jan. 20, 2023
The creativity of these homeowners is impressive, their projects not so much.
Don’t try this at home
We would heartily recommend against these strange, if occasionally clever, household fixes and design choices. Do you know these maintenance tasks all smart homeowners know?
Tin pan alley
Cooling fins? Or radiator fins? You be the judge. Or maybe it’s an attempt to stop the mice from using the ductwork as an elevated expressway? Don’t miss these 35 things every homeowner needs to know.
Socket wrench hinge pin
Wow! This is a huge improvement over the coat hangers in the other hinges! Brilliant! A lesson in garage door repair might be in order.
Did you buy five of the same coffee makers?
You’re not going to be able to replace your coffee maker unless you have the same one. Oh, the joys of custom remodeling. Learn which appliances are much cheaper to replace than to fix.
Keep your green thumb outdoors
How many garden hoses have you seen sprout a leak before? You’ll be growing a garden of a different kind with this setup. If you’re a homeowner, then these are the 35 things you need to know ASAP.
Heated bathroom
The thought is nice. Walk out of the shower to a warm bathroom in winter but the execution is wrong because it could end in one. Check out these easy quarantine home projects you’ll wish you did sooner.
So much for a relaxing bath
Image trying to take a relaxing soak when the ceiling fan starts wobbling. There’s a way to fix a wobbling ceiling fan but a better fix would be to remove this one. If this fix sounds difficult, learn these home repairs that anyone can do.
C.U.P bathroom
Mirrored walls in this location are an interesting choice, to say the least. Don’t miss these toilet projects you’ll regret ignoring.
One piece at a time
Make do with what you’ve got, right? Looks like someone threw in a kitchen sink faucet instead of a bath faucet. Unlike this choice, these are the best home improvements to double the value of your home.
Small bathroom
It would’ve been nice if someone had just said, “No,” before this project was ever started. It might be great for a ballet dancer who can tiptoe around but functionality is certainly lacking.
Shower light
Fluorescent lights above a shower? Without a cover? The second question is probably immaterial, all things considered, but talk about poor planning and unnecessary danger. You could be seeing a different kind of light real quick, and you won’t have any choice about heading toward it. This danger should be addressed immediately, just like these 15 hidden home dangers you shouldn’t ignore.
Shower built into the ceiling
It’s an interesting way to add another shower. Perhaps it’ll count as another bath on the listing.
Microwave too close to range
We’ve advocated for placing a microwave underneath a cabinet to create more counter space, but this is not a good idea. Pretty soon you’ll have a melting microwave. And find out the ways you’re using your microwave all wrong.
A hood fan in a far, far away spot
This would work great if the stovetop was about two feet higher. The hood fan is far too far away from the range and can lead to a build-up of smoke in the kitchen if you’re not careful.
Spa shower
Where to begin with this one? What? Are you running a health club? Hate to see the water bill for one shower. You can lower your water bill and other household fees with these 11 genius money-saving tips.
Obstructed kitchen sink
All those yoga classes will come in handy when trying to reach something under the sink.
All employees must wash their hands before returning to work
Genius! With this setup, you can wash your hands and your feet at the same time! A small bathroom requires a certain amount of planning.
Find the fuel oil tanks in this picture
If you’re painting metal, do the prep work the right way. That way your artwork will stand the test of time.
Skillfully unnecessary scribe
Bonus: You can visit with your toddler while you’re taking care of business. If the door opened the correct way, there would have been no scribing required. See which home improvement projects you can do yourself instead of hiring a professional.
Toboggan ice-dam solution
Granted, this is quite a clever setup.
Hubcap flue cap
Well, that’s one way to keep the rain away from your furnace. Don’t miss these 31 secrets your plumber won’t tell you.
A shower found in munchkin land
After mom and dad moved out, the toddlers decided to make the bathroom more user-friendly.
Poor cable detector?
Determined to find out if carbon monoxide was at fault for his poor cable reception, uncle Walter devised a plan…
Ceiling kitchen venting
Marion loved the smell of her cooking so much, it seemed a waste to vent all of the wonderful aromas outside. Generally, most people would prefer kitchen venting to exhaust outside the house.
March of the roof vents
Yes, attic venting is important. This, however, might be a bit much. Maybe trying to save on shingles? Besides this one, see which home renovations you’re likely to regret later.
One way to save money on flooring
I’ve got a great idea! We don’t need new flooring under the rug. Nobody will ever know.
Hardhat area
It’s never a good idea to hang a ceiling fan solely by electrical cable.
Which problem solver would you choose?
There are always options when it comes to buying a toilet—some better than others.
Duct tape compression fittings
What’s weird about this is that it appears that the drain parts are brand new. Installing drain lines and p-traps under a sink doesn’t normally call for duct tape. Bound to be a few plumbing leaks here. Like this one, see other home renovations you are likely to regret later.
A garage prepped for elective surgery
Come on down to Bob’s Really Good Surgery Shack! This week’s special is brain transplants! Actually, this might provide pretty good shop lighting in the garage.
Outlet in fireplace
The home comes with a fireplace but it’s merely decorative because there’s an outlet in it. Tough sell.
Cleanout cutout
Nice job with the baseboard but how the heck do you expect to get the clean-out plug out?
Lint screen
Maybe it’s a good thing all the lint collects in one spot, it could be easier to clean. But then again it doesn’t look like cleaning is happening. Dryer lint is responsible for around 25,000 fires every four years. And be sure you know these 20 hidden things in your home that could be a fire hazard.
Joist hangers into stucco
There’s no ledger board with this deck and that should be cause for concern. There is nothing right about this.
Homemade under-cabinet light
Someone is tempting fate with this light under a cabinet. It plugs right into an outlet, but it looks like it could be easily broken from being bumped. And there’s a serious issue with the amount of heat it’s giving off – there’s not enough clearance for the light be situated there. This guy should know that inexpensive LED low-voltage kits are available at every home center.
High air conditioner
Better hope that platform is rated to handle some incredible weight. Cooling your home doesn’t have to take lots of cash to run this high air conditioner. These 7 air conditioning tricks will help you feel cooler and spend less.
Garage door spring on screw
Garage door springs carry a tremendous amount of tension and having one supported by a screw poses a serious danger.
Furnace on blocks
Your car on blocks is one thing, but your furnace is another thing. If you’re looking to save money, try these clever home improvement ideas under $200.
You don’t have the power
Don’t (seriously, just don’t) run an extension cord through a wall. Extension cords can never be buried or hidden inside a wall. In fact, you shouldn’t even hide them under rugs or carpets. There are too many things that could go wrong. Before you even know about it, it’ll already be too late.
A real scorcher
An incandescent light bulb will kick out some heat if left on for an extended period of time and when one is near something with a low ignition point, watch out. At the very least this bulb should be replaced with an LED.
Baseboard heater?
Does that baseboard heater… ? Yes. Yes it does run through the partition. And, yes, several cords rest near it.
Dryer duct gutter
Who are they fooling with this fix? It’s admirable that they went to the trouble of painting a dryer vent the same color as the other gutters, but you have to figure someone would see it. While it is an unusual spot in the roof, this cheap fix isn’t the right solution. There are just some home projects that you shouldn’t DIY.
Downspout hidden in column
This is either really dumb or really cool. It’s kind of hard to imagine it being dumb because if you were going to run a downspout through a column you make sure it was safe, right? Hopefully, that is not a structural column.
Carpet over floor register
These heat sensor photos can reveal a lot. This one shows a floor register that has been carpeted over. Seems like a quick fix, but how do you forget about the register when you re-carpet?
Boulder footing
If this boulder wasn’t being used as a deck footing, we swear we could’ve mistaken it for the brain of the person who came up with this idea.
Baseboard heater in crawl space
It might sound like a good idea to heat your crawl space in winter to perhaps prevent frozen pipes and warm your house a little more but it’s extremely dangerous. This a huge fire hazard. Check out these items in your home that are a huge fire hazard if you don’t clean them enough.
Bad egress
Nothing about this screams safety or viable emergency escape. It looks bolted to the roof and there’s a chain to help keep it in place.
Adjustable support column
Adjustable support columns like this, with steel supporting pins, should only be used as temporary support columns, according to an American Society of Home Inspectors article.
Does the table go above it now?
Somebody booted this deck project, but, then again, it probably should have never been started. The door to the deck is low off the ground and with the air conditioner near it, it’s impossible to create a deck with enough clearance for the AC unit without stairs from the door. Just take the whole thing down.
Covered basement window
We’ve seen floor registers covered, now check out the opposite. That’s right, someone covered a window in the basement with drywall. But this isn’t the craziest thing that could be in your home. Remember these 39 secrets home inspectors won’t tell you so you can thoroughly vet your new place.
All photos courtesy of Structure Tech.
