Built a raised bed last weekend that took me 9 hours instead of 2

I bought a simple raised garden bed kit from Lowe's for $60 and thought I'd have it done in a Saturday morning. But the ground was way more uneven than I realized, so I spent 2 hours just leveling the dirt. Then the screws stripped on one corner and I had to drive to Home Depot for replacements. The instructions said it would take 2 hours max, but between fixing the leveling and the hardware issue it took me almost 9 hours total. Has anyone else had a simple project turn into a whole day thing?

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kellyg145mo ago

Nah, I gotta disagree here @fisher.reese. Nine hours on a $60 kit sounds like you actually got your money's worth. If it took 2 hours you'd be done and bored by noon. Instead you got a whole day of problem solving, fresh air, and a story to tell. You leveled the ground which means that bed is gonna sit perfect for years instead of wobbling like a drunk after the first rain. Stripped screws suck but now you know exactly which parts of your yard are cursed. Sounds like a win to me.

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fisher.reese5mo ago

Nine hours for a $60 kit? That's brutal, I would have thrown the whole thing in the trash after the second trip to Home Depot. Leveling dirt is always a nightmare, but stripping a screw on top of that feels like the universe is just messing with you. You earned a weekend of just sitting around doing nothing after that one.

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