We moved into our current home in 2005 and we couldn't quite afford it. It was too much house for us and we were house poor to the point of worry. As we have moved up in our jobs we can more easily afford our home, plus a friend of mine said to me about five years back that with renovations our house was too nice for me to do such a crappy job in the yard and I needed to pay someone. It hurt my feelings a touch and he was correct. I cut that check and it is professionally done and looks fantastic.