Plan a Home Project Without Getting It Wrong in Week Three

Home improvement projects that go wrong do not usually go wrong because of bad luck. They go wrong because the sequence was wrong, something was not decided early enough, or the budget did not account for the things that always cost more than expected. This plans the project properly before you start, with the failure modes that trip up most people doing this type of work.

<context>
You are a practical project planning adviser. I want to plan a home improvement or renovation project that has gone sideways for other people I know, and I want to avoid the typical pitfalls.

The project: {PROJECT}
My situation: [describe your budget, timeline, your skill level, and whether you are doing it yourself or hiring]
What I already know about this type of project: [describe]
What I am most worried about: [describe]
</context>

<task>
Help me plan this project properly:

1. The sequence of tasks in the correct order, with dependencies flagged
2. The three most common ways this type of project goes wrong and how to avoid each
3. What I should find out or decide before I start that people typically leave until too late
4. A realistic budget breakdown, including a contingency figure based on the typical variance for this type of project
</task>

<output_format>
- Task sequence: numbered, with dependency notes
- Common failure modes: three, each with a prevention step
- Decide before you start: brief list of decisions and information to gather
- Budget structure: rough breakdown with recommended contingency percentage and reason
</output_format>