Most DIY weekend warriors are not afraid to handle a saw and a hammer when the need arises. While the whole DIY industry encourages self-reliance and a reasonable amount of self-confidence, sometimes a professionalâs advice can definitely be of immense help. Be fearlessAccording to Margeau Gilbert of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, the shift from hiring contractors to becoming a mini-contractor is on the rise:”Some homeowners are becoming mini-general contractors. The most intrepid will tear down walls, build additions on their houses, erect gazebos or waterfalls and decks. DIY projects are definitely in vogue right now.”DIY projects like painting are fast becoming normal activities, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute: “The faux painting techniques are definitely number one. The results can be incredible when done correctly because painting is the least expensive way to make a change. It’s also probably the easiest and most innocuous of DIY projects”Know your limits According to Ms. Gilberts: “Insurance companies are wary of insuring DIY projects because many aren’t up to code, have inferior materials, or were the product of unsafe shortcuts. I’m not saying that people who do DIY projects are purposely doing this. Ms. Gilberts continues with: “I’m saying that mistakes can be easily made. Above all, know your limits. If you’re handy around tools and have a real comfort level reading manuals written in arcane language, then by all means, have fun.”Dangerous shortcuts Perhaps one of the most dangerous shortcuts one can make is with electrical wires. When installing new electrical wires, make sure that the wires run smoothly inside the walls and that the wires will not twine or snag other wires. Snags or intertwining electrical wires can cause fires. Insulating material and walls that have a 1-inch accommodation for summer expansion can cause a conflagration that can run a house to the ground in hours. Another thing you have to watch out for is small repairs with water pipes. To save yourself the bother of paying for wasted water, make sure that any alteration to water pipes are supported with plenty of plumbing tape. Waterproof and inexpensive, plumbing tapes can seal a leak in seconds. How to save more money with DIY projects To make sure that youâre maximizing the savings, consult a local contractor or builder and get an estimate. Simply bring with you the measurements of a particular projects (such as the wall area if you want to repaint) and ask for an estimate.For a small fee, you can get a professional estimate and of course, advice on what paint to buy and how to efficiently coat your walls. Also, befriending your local contractors will ensure that you can easily call them when something goes wrong. Large projects that require significant manpower must be handled carefully. If you think re-tiling the roof is too big a job for you, donât force yourself. Simply get a contractor and allow the professionals to finish the job for you. Sometimes, a DIY moment can wait. The important thing is your house is experiencing a make-over, not a gradual demolition.
Posts Tagged ‘Assessment’
From Unsafe Shortcuts To Insurance: An Assessment Of Diy
Thursday, April 8th, 2010Pros and Cons of DIY Home Improvement: An Assessment
Saturday, April 3rd, 2010Interestingly enough, the idea of improving one’s home is attractive to the “experts” of DIY as it is to individuals who’ve had no prior experience in do it yourself projects. Though it is everyone’s right to alter features of a home that they invested themselves, there still remains the fact that if the DIY home improvement is not carried to its logical conclusion, then loss, and not gains would be the consequence.
The pros
In many instances, building chairs, small tables and cabinets from scratch will save you a lot of money, provided that you have the patience to design and execute specific DIY projects for these articles.
Plumbing? No problem. Many devices that handle hot and cold water connections, for instance, can be installed manually. What are manuals for? However, there is the risk that you might not get it right the first time. But this shouldn’t stop you from trying your hand at installing that brand new shower heater.
Repainting the house is achievable. All you need is the basic know-how of painting and the right equipment. In this case, you will save money, but you will have to set aside a weekend or two to finish repainting the whole house.
A sense of achievement of course would be the greatest reward for any DIY project. If you execute a DIY project beautifully, and your work lasts for years, you’ll definitely feel good about the whole attempt at being a professional craftsman yourself.
The cons
If a DIY project is in its infancy, and you’ve just begun to get a hang of finding the materials and designs yourself, there may be times that what resources you spent in finishing a DIY project would be more costly than a finished product that can be bought in a shopping mall or a furniture store.
Failure is not an option, but a possibility. There may be times that you lose vital components of any DIY project like time, patience, and sometimes even cash. Be prepared to accept that some projects might not be that great after you’ve executed what you’ve planned. It’s all part of “doing it yourself”.
DIY electrical projects can be executed flawlessly. But there is a risk factor especially if it’s your first time to deal with the electrical system in your house. Replacing wires that run through walls, up the ceiling and into rooms is tricky business- so refer to the original plans of the house before proceeding to knock out the original installations. Electrical installations are often secured, so make sure that if you’re laying out meters of new electrical wire, you know how to safely attach the wires permanently against the walls, or within the walls.
Time constraints are often the biggest killers for DIY projects. Many beginners are often discouraged by how difficult it is to complete a medium size DIY project. Sometimes, multiple projects are started, but none are finished. This sometimes causes problems, because unfinished projects may clutter the house and render some spaces in the home unusable.