The lure of saving a few bucks and having a great time while you are at it has popularized the DIY scene for years. We love it. There are a ton of small projects that anyone can complete with the right tools and a little bit of time, saving them money and giving them a bit of pride in improving their home.
That is not always the case. While there are some home improvements, like a kitchen remodel, that are obviously more than the normal person can handle, it can be hard to decide whether a project is right for you or if you should leave it to the pros.
In this article, we will go over some of the red flags that mean a project should probably be left for the professionals as well as some of the reasons you should go ahead and do it yourself!
Professionals are there for a reason. They are great at what they do and have training and experience. If you have any doubts, it’s probably a good idea to give us a call to get a better idea of what your latest project entails.
It is easy to get swept up in the excitement of home improvement and how great the project is going to turn out without thinking of the steps in between. Here are some common dangers of DIY projects.
This is a sure sign you should leave this project to the pros. Professionals have skills and training far beyond the normal homeowner, allowing them to tackle the dangerous parts of a project with confidence.
Accidents happen, and there is going to be some danger to any DIY project, but think about how likely it is for an accident to happen, and how much danger that poses to you. Working with drills and hammers, for instance, still requires some safety, but is very different from working with saws and belt sanders. Think about the most difficult and dangerous part of a project when calculating the danger.
Take a moment to think about what you are trying to do. Some projects have serious consequences if you mess up, and those might be best to shy away from.
Consider calling the pros for projects with a lot of electrical work, structural work, or plumbing.
There are a lot of great weekend DIY projects out there, perfect for a couple of days of work. Over a weekend, projects that take up a big part of your house are okay, but once they start taking multiple weeks, think about how that might affect your daily routine.
If you are starting a project in a big traffic area of your house, like your kitchen, bedroom, or bathroom, the longer it takes the more frustrating it will get. If more than a week goes by you might start thinking about calling a contractor to finish the job, and that is not the position you want to be in.
Consider the time commitment of your DIY project and where the work zone is going to be. It might be time to call in the pros.
It is important to keep those dangers in mind, but do not let them discourage you from starting a DIY project! DIY is an amazing way to get down to brass tacks with your home and really see a difference after putting in some hard work. Here are some tips to follow to make sure you are well prepared for your next DIY project.
One of the biggest dangers with a DIY project is getting halfway and running out of steam. There will likely be unknowns in any project, but planning out the steps, making sure you have the right tools and materials, and understanding what you need to do lets you make sure this is a good project for you.
Something to always keep in mind — doing a DIY project should be fun! Even if doing it yourself is a money saver, if you don’t enjoy it, a DIY project will become much more difficult and frustrating.
If there’s a good DIY project that you are dreading, take another look at what a professional might cost. Your time is valuable! Think about it before spending a weekend or two working on something just to save a few dollars.
For larger projects, try to segment them into smaller, bite-sized ones you can complete in a weekend or two. Take advantage of steps that are independent of one another — for instance, if you are working on your bathroom, you can paint it one weekend, clean up the area, then do some hardware changes the next!
Professionals are professionals for a reason — they are great at what they do. When you are DIYing a project, there are many points where you might be a little off, making little mistakes here and there.
Your final product might not be perfect, and that’s okay! It’ll have some character from the start.
Aside from the fun and frustration, you are bound to have with your DIY project, it’s the perfect learning experience! There are so many little skills that are involved in every project that you might not have expected — little roadblocks that you’ve gotten around and now you know!
There’s a different feeling after you complete a project. You start to know new things and you’ll be more prepared to do another one, whenever the time comes.
This is a huge distinction to make before you start your next project. There will always be projects that you can’t tackle by yourself and there’s nothing wrong with that. Sitting on your lawn with a beer instead of doing the hard work of renovation doesn’t sound too bad, right?
It is important to think about the difficulties of starting a DIY project before jumping feet first, but there is a time and a place for such a jump. Getting lost in the project is an amazing feeling, and there is nothing quite like seeing the results after a job well done.
Next time you have a project in mind, take some time to think if it’s better to DIY or to let the pros handle it. If you have any doubts, give the pros at Honest Renovators a call. We’ll give you an estimate and our honest opinion if this is a project you can handle, or if we should step in and make your dream a reality.
