Do it yourself home remodelling holds the promise of saving money by shifting labour costs onto you. It can also give the homeowner a deeper sense of pride, the ability to say, “I did this.” However, there are almost as many medical horror stories as terrifying bills from many home renovators called in to fix what people tried to do themselves. Here are four DIY home remodelling do’s and don’ts.
Don’t Take on Projects You’re Not Qualified to Do
Before you start brainstorming home renovation ideas, be realistic about what you can and can’t do. There’s no benefit to trying to rewire a room and accidentally sparking a house fire. Saving on plumbing costs by trying to resize the piping and put in a new showerhead is a lost cause if you have to replace the flooring when it leaks. Small projects like replacing light fixtures and plumbing fixtures are something most homeowners can do, but larger projects require a professional.
Do Think of the Little Things
Do consider small cosmetic upgrades like two-tone paint in a single tone room, new bathroom fixtures, and replacement hardware before you decide you need to do a major renovation. Don’t forget the potential value of paying someone to thoroughly steam clean those bathroom or kitchen tiles before you pay to rip it out and put something else in. Maybe you could be happy with a few new accent tiles in the current inlay instead of replacing the whole wall. Could lowering the privacy wall between the toilet and bathroom proper give it enough light instead of redoing the whole bathroom?
Don’t Try to Do It All at Once
Too many people use the decision to do a home renovation as an excuse to do everything at once. They decide to try to fix the bathroom sink, renovate the kitchen and paint the house. This leads to frustration as they try to juggle multiple projects and all their other obligations.
Pick one room to work on at a time, and then finish the project before you start considering the next thing to work on.
Don’t Take Shortcuts When It Comes to Safety
Don’t skimp on safety gear to save money or try to save time. You may consider visiting sites like HarnessLand.com to lay your hands on good safety harnesses instead of hoping a rope tied around a waist stops your fall from a roof. Wear proper earplugs instead of putting cotton in your ears or skipping it altogether. Wear impact resistant protective goggles instead of assuming sunglasses will protect your eyes if a nail ricochets.
Shortcuts when it comes to home improvement work itself are not recommended, but you may be able to repair it or pay someone else to do so. This issue can be resolved with proper planning of budget, time frame, and scope. Do plan the time frame for the project so you have the time to complete the work before you plan to have company or the weather no longer permits.
DIY renovation is lovely when you know what you’re doing and everything is planned properly. Make sure that you follow the tips in this article if you want your project to go as smoothly as possible.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
