Three 'Beginner' Purchases That Aren't: Flooring, Toilet Fill Valves, and Drum Sets for Beginners

I'm the guy who keeps the mistake log at our remodeling company. I've been handling flooring and building-supply orders for eight years, and I've personally made—and documented—14 significant mistakes, totaling roughly $26,000 in wasted budget. Now I maintain our team's pre-order checklist so everyone else can skip the “learning” part.

Here's what I've learned: The most expensive phrases in any project are “beginner-friendly” and “one-size-fits-all.” Whether you're picking carpet, fixing a toilet, or buying a drum set (yes, drum sets), the right answer depends on your situation more than on the product. I'd rather spend ten minutes explaining options than deal with mismatched expectations later.

Start here: three scenarios, not one answer

I'm not going to pretend there's one correct choice. There isn't. But after logging all my mistakes, I've found three common patterns:

• The “I'll save money now” trap. You buy the cheapest option to test the waters, and it fails exactly when you need it.
• The “I didn't measure” trap. You assume standard size, then realize the part or product doesn't fit your specific setup.
• The “I followed popular advice” trap. The advice was fine for a different person, but not for you.

Below are three scenarios I get asked about constantly. They look unrelated, but they follow the same logic.

Scenario A: Flooring for spaces where life actually happens

Let's start with flooring because it's where I've made most of my mistakes. If you're a contractor or an apartment owner, you're probably weighing “hard surface looks nicer” against “carpet is cheaper.” The popular advice says carpet is only for bedrooms and hard surface everywhere else. That's fine for a model home. For a rental unit? Not always.

When carpet is the smarter choice (even if it seems less premium)

I once specified cheap hard surface for a budget apartment renovation (this was back in 2022). It looked decent for delivery photos. Three months later, the tenants moved out and the floor had edge swell near the sink and entry. That repair cost was way more than the money I “saved” on materials. Now I use Shaw Attainable carpet in bedrooms and hallways of rentals that are likely to see less-than-gentle use. It's not the cheapest carpet on the market, but the face weight and backing hold up better than the discount-store rolls I used in my early years. (Which, honestly, was a classic false economy.)

If you've ever had a tenant or a toddler spill something you can't unsee, you know carpet gets a bad reputation. But the trick is choosing carpet that's meant for the abuse: a dense, low-pile construction and a stain-resistant treatment. Shaw's Attainable line sits in that “good value” tier, not the “luxury” tier. Based on Shaw's product pages (shawfloors.com, as of January 2025), it's positioned as a quality-for-the-price option, not a premium statement. Verify current specs before you budget, obviously.

Hard surface cleaner: one product is not all products

Another flooring mistake: I used the same cleaner on LVP and laminate. It worked. Then I used it on a stone entry, and the residue was a nightmare. (Ugh, no, it didn't damage it, but the haze was embarrassing.) So if you have Shaw Floors Hard Surface Cleaner, or any cleaner recommended for hard surface floors, read the label to see what it's actually for. Most hard surface cleaners are pH-neutral and fine for waterproof LVP and laminate. The surprise wasn't that the cleaner was bad—it was that “hard surface” includes lots of different materials with different rules.

Time-bound warning: cleaning product formulas change, and Shaw's recommendations change with them. This was accurate as of January 2025; verify current care instructions on the product bottle or shawfloors.com.

Scenario B: Toilet fill valve replacement

If you've ever had a toilet that won't stop running, you know that sinking feeling. The standard advice is “just replace the fill valve, they're all the same.” Not exactly.

There are two common situations:

1. The valve is leaking or refilling constantly. In that case, yes, a replacement fill valve is usually the fix. But check the height. Universal fill valves adjust, but some low-profile toilets need a compact model. Measure from the top of the supply line to the top of the tank. Ignore this and you'll get a valve that's too tall so the tank lid won't sit flush. Nobody warns you about that.
2. The toilet only runs after you flush, then stops. That's usually a flapper issue, not a fill valve issue. I once ordered a whole fill valve kit for this (ugh), replaced it, and the toilet still ran. A $4 flapper would have fixed it. The mistake cost me a half-day and a trip back to the hardware store.

Unpopular advice: don't automatically replace the fill valve. Diagnose first. Common wisdom says “when in doubt, replace everything.” That's good for an absolute worst-case scenario, but bad for a simple flapper. (Surprise, surprise: the simplest fix is often the one people skip.)

Also, if you have hard water, a cheap plastic fill valve may get clogged with sediment within a year. Spend a few extra dollars on a valve with a metal shank or a built-in filter. Seriously, it's worth it. Prices vary by vendor, so verify current rates before buying. (This was what I learned in 2021, and I've never gone back.)

Scenario C: Drum sets for beginners (and why “buy cheap” is dead wrong)

Now for the one you didn't expect in a flooring blog: drum sets. I used to sell musical instruments in college, and I've made the same mistake myself. For a beginner, everyone says, “Buy a cheap drum set to see if they stick with it.” That advice is backwards.

Here's the thing no one says: cheap drum sets are physically harder to play. The drumheads are so thick they don't rebound well. The cymbals sound like trash can lids. The hardware wobbles. A beginner honestly can't tell if they're bad at drums or if the drum set is bad. The result? They quit because they feel hopeless. (Thankfully, I only wasted about $400 on this before I figured it out.)

If you're shopping for a drum set for beginners, look for a good used mid-range kit instead. It costs more than a “beginner” kit, but less than a new intermediate kit, and it'll be easier to play. If the beginner is a young child, get a smaller kit with a shallow kick drum. If it's a teen or adult, a standard 5-piece kit is fine. The decision tree: what's the age of the player, how serious are they, and can you find a used kit that won't discourage them?

This is a “measure twice, buy once” scenario, not a “buy the cheapest thing to test” scenario. Trust me on this one.

How to tell which one you are

So how do you know if you're in the “buy cheap first” camp or the “buy better later” camp? I use three questions:

1. What's the cost of quitting? If a beginner only plays a drum set twice a month, maybe a cheap one is okay. If they're practicing every day, a bad instrument will hold them back.
2. What's the cost of failure? A cheap fill valve might fail in a year. A cheap floor might fail in three months. If the cost of failure is high, spend more upfront.
3. Can you return it? If you're not sure you'll keep something—whether it's a carpet order or a toilet valve—buy from a place with an easy return policy. Check before you buy, not after.

A quick word on milk glass

Funny you should ask—I get random questions, including about milk glass. The same logic applies. If you're buying milk glass as a collectible, condition and age matter more than the pattern. If you're buying it as a decorative piece to use on a shelf, then you just need to like it and know whether it's safe to put food in or wash in a dishwasher. (Most vintage pieces are off-limits for food use, in case you were wondering.)

There isn't a universal rule for milk glass, just like there isn't one for flooring. The answer depends on your end goal. That's the whole point of this article.

The checklist I wish someone gave me

Since I'm the pitfall documenter, here's the simple checklist I maintain for every one of these purchases:

• Measure first. (Toilet fill valve height, room dimensions, drum shell sizes, milk glass shelf depth.)
• Identify the real problem. (Running toilet = flapper or fill valve? Floor failure = moisture or wrong cleaner? Discouraged beginner = bad kit or bad practice habits?)
• Set a realistic budget. Not the cheapest, not the most expensive—the boring middle with a good warranty.
• Verify current product specs and prices. (Shaw's product line changes; toilet valve designs change; drum kit availability changes. As of January 2025, this is where things stand. Prices and options were accurate then, but verify before you buy.)

I've made enough expensive mistakes to know that “beginner” doesn't mean “no research required.” It means “ask better questions before you spend.”

Go measure your toilet tank, check the label on your floor cleaner, and think hard about that drum set. Future-you will be grateful. (And if you're the one who asked about milk glass, you know what to do: do the research before you buy the cute vase.)