A new year brings new ideas and projects. We all have a list of things that could use sprucing up around our homes. Though, when it comes to these projects we should look deep inside ourselves and decide, “is this a project I can handle?” or “should I call someone?”. It’s always best to know when to break through the wall yourself, or hire someone to do it for you.
This is the time you should assess your skills.
(and be honest with yourself)
There are many pros (no pun intended) and cons to doing these home improvement projects yourself. For starters, just imagine how self righteous and accomplished you’ll feel when you shower in that new tub you tiled and grouted yourself. Though, there is the chance you could be looking at studs and cloth bathing in the sink for a month because your project is taking longer than expected.
It’s a fact: a project is more likely to become a DIY if it’s small and the homeowner is younger. DIY projects do have a slew of benefits that come along with them. Some of those benefits include a smaller budget, a chance to develop your skills, a customized/more personalized finished product, and a chance to develop your social network.
“There’s an innate American sense that we should fix things up ourselves”
-Gregg Hicks, ReliableRemodeler.com
However, we all know DIY projects can get messy and spiral out of control quickly. These projects can also end up costing you more money than you anticipated. If you’re worried about anything, I would, without a doubt hire yourself a contractor. A contractor brings more to the table than just his extensive knowledge and talent. They normally bring a warranty on their work too! To me, the warranty in itself is worth the extra money to hire a contractor. Just make sure you do your homework when picking a contractor. Research this part of the project more than anything else.
Home improvement projects are a huge part of owning a home. Some projects are big and some projects are small. Before you dive into a project yourself take some time to consider what you’re getting yourself into. DIY projects can be very challenging, yet rewarding. Hiring a contractor can speed up the timeline of a project, but it can cost more than you budgeted for. When it’s time for your next project take time to consider which avenue you’ll take: DIY or Professionals. This decision will pave the way for the entire project.
