The Most Surprising Home Products Our Readers Regret Buying

Turning a house into a home can be expensive, taxing, and, worst of all, disappointing. Nothing stings quite like doing research, trying things out, and ending up spending a lot of money on a big home purchase that doesn’t live up to your hopes.

The Spruce asked our followers on Facebook one simple question: “What big home purchases do you regret buying?” The responses poured in, and so many of you agreed that there are a few things you’d simply never buy again—and some shocked us.

Flooring, Flooring, Flooring

Deciding what kind of flooring you want in your home is a very specific, and often difficult, decision to make. And it’s a decision a lot of people make, and aren’t so pleased with the results.

For instance, multiple people commented on The Spruce’s post saying that they were disappointed in their dark floors.

“Dark wood floors,” one user commented. “They show everything!!!”

“Dark-colored flooring,” another person put, simply.

Dark wood flooring can be an aesthetic and durable choice for your flooring, but it requires more consideration of the specific conditions of your home. The coloring can add a rich, sophisticated, and classic look to your space, and might increase your home’s resale value.

But, as the first commenter argued, dark floors tend to show dust, pet hair, and lint far more prominently than lighter flooring, so you’ll have to clean the space more often to maintain the look of a clean home.

Beyond dark wood floors, one user said they regretted their vinyl plank floors. Vinyl plank flooring has a lot of pros: it’s is durable, resistant to scratches and dents, softer underfoot than hardwood or tile, easy to maintain, and much more.

But they’re also more likely to fade, easier to puncture or gouge with sharp objects, easier to dent from heavy furniture, difficult to repair, and have a smaller lifespan than natural wood or stone.

Other commenters said they regretted their tile flooring, laminate flooring, and carpet that became gross and worn down. Overall, if we can learn one thing from The Spruce readers, it’s that we should do a ton of research into our specific needs and environment before investing in flooring.

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Landscape Carefully

Like flooring, we should consistently consider the kinds of lives we want to live and the abilities of our spaces before we spend money on landscaping. Be thoughtful about the purpose and functionality of your outdoor space. Are you outside to entertain? To garden? Or do you just want it to look good? 

“I’d have to say the one mistake we made was cut down our trees that created privacy,” one user commented. “Now all the rainwater pools into my yard when the trees absorbed it all. Now I have a free pool whenever it rains really bad.”

“Landscape,” another person put simply.

Don’t forget about the climate and soil in your yard, and consider how much time and effort you can spend maintaining your space. You can always add hardscaping elements, like pathways and fences, and lighting to enhance safety and aesthetics. Plus, you can incorporate irrigation systems to conserve water and ensure you don’t have the pool problem one commenter did.

Pools

Many of The Spruce readers also encountered getting a pool and then rarely using it.

“Above ground pool,” one user commented. “Kids had to have it and in two years I could count on one hand the number of times they went in it.”

“Above the ground pool! Only had it up half the summer and it got a hole in it..took it down and never put it back up,” another user said.

When you decide whether or not to make a big home purchase, one of the most important things to consider is how often you’ll actually use it.