--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I actually do my own renovations. I…" description: "\"I actually do my own renovations. I designed and built a 100-foot split-cedar rail fence to enclose my property. It was one of the hardest things I've ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d39/jeffrey-donovan-20607_built_i-actually-do-my-own-renovations-i-desig_1759250.jpg" --- # I actually do my own renovations. I designed and built a… ![“I actually do my own renovations. I designed and built a 100-foot split-cedar rail fence to enclose my property. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Don't recommend doing it alone. I also built a 100-square-foot back porch. Again, don't recommend doing it alone.” quote by Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d39/jeffrey-donovan-20607_built_i-actually-do-my-own-renovations-i-desig_1759250.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d39/jeffrey-donovan-20607_built_i-actually-do-my-own-renovations-i-desig_1759250.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d39/jeffrey-donovan-20607_built_i-actually-do-my-own-renovations-i-desig_1759250.jpg) > “I actually do my own renovations. I designed and built a 100-foot split-cedar rail fence to enclose my property. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Don't recommend doing it alone. I also built a 100-square-foot back porch. Again, don't recommend doing it alone.” [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Renovating large projects alone is extremely demanding and risky; teamwork eases difficulty and improves safety. **In simple terms:** Doing big DIY projects alone is hard and unsafe. Key Takeaway Seek help for large DIY tasks. Themes self-reliance DIY teamwork Mood practical cautious Type advice warning When to use this quote - building a fence - building a porch - home improvement - handyman projects Key Concepts construction risk management collaboration Questions to Reflect On - Can you identify tasks where assistance would be beneficial? - How does collaboration improve outcomes? A Different Perspective Solo work can lead to injury or poor quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Cedars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cedars/) [Doing Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-built-1677690/) [Doing It Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-it-alone/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Fence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fence/) [Foot Porch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foot-porch-1677688/) [Hardest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest/) [Hardest thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest-thing/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Porch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/porch/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Rail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rail/) [Renovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renovation/) [Renovations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renovations-738029/) [Renovations Designed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renovations-designed-1677689/) [Splits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splits/) [Squares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squares/) ## Related quotes > [I tell people marriage is a compromise, and so are renovations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candice-olson/i-tell-people-marriage-is-a-compromise-and-so-are-renovations/) [Candice Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candice-olson/) > [I find home renovations almost traumatic. But people can create something great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-zee/i-find-home-renovations-almost-traumatic-but-people-can-create/) [Ginger Zee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-zee/) > [I believe that as energy prices rise, more of a home's real value will reside in renovations that reduce the operating cost of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-baeumler/i-believe-that-as-energy-prices-rise-more-of-a-home-s-real-value-will/) [Bryan Baeumler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-baeumler/) > [In this life many demolitions are actually renovations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/in-this-life-many-demolitions-are-actually-renovations/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [If you're struggling to get on the same page as your partner and you're not able to agree when it comes to renovations, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcgillivray/if-you-re-struggling-to-get-on-the-same-page-as-your-partner-and-you/) [Scott McGillivray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcgillivray/) > [A backsplash is actually one of those projects that can really change the look of a kitchen. It's a really great project for someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-baeumler/a-backsplash-is-actually-one-of-those-projects-that-can-really-change/) [Bryan Baeumler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-baeumler/) > [We will strengthen crackdown on illegal renovations and enforce a restitution of large-scale development gains to better stabilize the real estate market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-won-soon/we-will-strengthen-crackdown-on-illegal-renovations-and-enforce-a/) [Park Won-soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-won-soon/) > [I love doing kitchen renovations where we're opening up the kitchen and creating open-concept main floors. I think that's one renovation that really changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candice-olson/i-love-doing-kitchen-renovations-where-we-re-opening-up-the-kitchen/) [Candice Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candice-olson/) > [I am shut down for RENOVATIONS But The Re-Opening of me will be EPIC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-shut-down-for-renovations-but-the-re-opening-of-me-will-be-epic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I insist upon 'doing it alone'... I have always worked better alone and from my own impressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/i-insist-upon-doing-it-alone-i-have-always-worked-better-alone-and/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [“Our choice in life is to do it alone or to do it with help. Even if we think we are doing it alone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cupo/our-choice-in-life-is-to-do-it-alone-or-to-do-it-with-help-even-if-we/) [Michael Cupo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cupo/) > [I was an empty vessel just floating through L.A. and raising children, and I was doing it alone. When my relationship started blossoming with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-vaughan/i-was-an-empty-vessel-just-floating-through-l-a-and-raising-children/) [Greg Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-vaughan/) > [Acting is reacting... there's a magic when you're working with another actor. With voice acting, you're doing it alone, all in your head. So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/acting-is-reacting-there-s-a-magic-when-you-re-working-with-another/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) > [In 16, 17 years as a pro I was used to the head coach doing it alone. He might have asked his people for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-klinsmann/in-16-17-years-as-a-pro-i-was-used-to-the-head-coach-doing-it-alone/) [Jurgen Klinsmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-klinsmann/) > [When we got to the step when we'd normally start collaborating, we started having these talks about how it was not worth getting together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-leithauser/when-we-got-to-the-step-when-we-d-normally-start-collaborating-we/) [Hamilton Leithauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-leithauser/) ## More by Jeffrey Donovan > [I don't think an actor's job is to be recognized. I think an actor's job is to facilitate the writing in a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/i-don-t-think-an-actor-s-job-is-to-be-recognized-i-think-an-actor-s/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [If someone grabbed me, I'd probably be able to choke them out in about eight seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/if-someone-grabbed-me-i-d-probably-be-able-to-choke-them-out-in-about/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [When you're dealing with espionage and covert affairs, sometimes the secret is more exciting than the knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/when-you-re-dealing-with-espionage-and-covert-affairs-sometimes-the/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [Believe it or not, I don't own a TV. Crazy huh? I'm not a big movie-goer either. I just feel like I'm watching work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/believe-it-or-not-i-don-t-own-a-tv-crazy-huh-i-m-not-a-big-movie-goer/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [I'm very shy in real life; I can't really hit on girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/i-m-very-shy-in-real-life-i-can-t-really-hit-on-girls/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [Guns make you stupidbetter to fight your wars with duct tape. Duct tape makes you smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/guns-make-you-stupidbetter-to-fight-your-wars-with-duct-tape-duct/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [Believe it or not, I don't own a TV. Crazy huh?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/believe-it-or-not-i-don-t-own-a-tv-crazy-huh/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [There was no theater program or anything where I'm from. So junior year in high school I started the theater program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/there-was-no-theater-program-or-anything-where-i-m-from-so-junior/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [As much as they'll let me I do my own stunts and I do all my own fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/as-much-as-they-ll-let-me-i-do-my-own-stunts-and-i-do-all-my-own/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [We had to make ends meet. My parents were divorced, so my father wasn't really in my life. We grew up like most kids,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/we-had-to-make-ends-meet-my-parents-were-divorced-so-my-father-wasn-t/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [There's not much out there that people are fighting for that leaves them with nothing but honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/there-s-not-much-out-there-that-people-are-fighting-for-that-leaves/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [The most fun I've had on 'Burn Notice,' I think it would have to be working with China Chow and Lucy Lawless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/the-most-fun-i-ve-had-on-burn-notice-i-think-it-would-have-to-be/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [It's very, very technical, what we do in film. While all of the lights are there and all of the crew members and directors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/it-s-very-very-technical-what-we-do-in-film-while-all-of-the-lights/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [I have a green thumb. I really like to get into the shrubs, the bushes, and really cultivate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/i-have-a-green-thumb-i-really-like-to-get-into-the-shrubs-the-bushes/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [What would surprise a lot of people about me... I'm a gardener! I have a green thumb. I really like to get into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/what-would-surprise-a-lot-of-people-about-me-i-m-a-gardener-i-have-a/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) [Explore all 30 Jeffrey Donovan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) ## More Built quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [Call me the rap assassinator / rhymes rugged and built like Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/call-me-the-rap-assassinator-rhymes-rugged-and-built-like/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [Do we make ourselves into what we become or is it built into our genes, into the fate spun for us by whatever shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/do-we-make-ourselves-into-what-we-become-or-is-it-built-into-our/) [Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [God and I have built an immense fire together. We keep each other happy and warm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafez/god-and-i-have-built-an-immense-fire-together-we-keep-each-other/) [Hafez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafez/) > [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [Winning a competition in architecture is a ticket to oblivion. It's just an idea. Ninety-nine per cent never get built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/winning-a-competition-in-architecture-is-a-ticket-to-oblivion-it-s/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Mostly what I'm focused on is finding people who are younger who haven't built companies before but have a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/mostly-what-i-m-focused-on-is-finding-people-who-are-younger-who/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) > [“Imagine what I could have done in ten years. I could have learned to speak Japanese. I could have played every RPG video game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagine-what-i-could-have-done-in-ten-years-i-could-have-learned-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,164 Built quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I actually do my own renovations. I designed and built a 100-foot split-cedar rail fence to enclose my property. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Don't recommend doing it alone. I also built a 100-square-foot back porch. 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