So, a box just popped up and said that there might be other ways to fix some of the rooms. Has anyone found any?

Some people say that if you choose a person with the job 'Construction Worker' or 'Carpenter' that they can renovate some rooms by themselves. I'm not positive if this info is correct, though.

This thread may be of interest.

You can find all sorts of rumors on the Internet that have no basis in reality, and many people accept them as fact. Unless you have seen documented evidence of the existence of a rumored facet of the game, it's best to treat it as a product of someone's imagination.