Thinking about finally building that deck out back so you can enjoy a family barbecue? Or maybe you might replace that basement toilet with the broken tank?
All home improvements are not created equal, and how you approach them should reflect that. Sure, doing it yourself can be cheaper and intrinsically rewarding. But let’s be realistic. Just because something may cost less on paper, it doesn’t come without its price. Do you really want to spend your weekend driving back and forth to the home improvement store, or on the bathroom floor tinkering with a toilet?
The first step in any home improvement project is deciding what you can do, and what is best left to the professionals.
Be Realistic
You are quite capable, thank you very much, of handling many home improvement tasks. Just last week you painted the trim on the house, and replaced the track lighting in your home office. There are many great do-it-yourself projects around your house, particularly aesthetic ones, such as painting, installing crown molding, wallpapering, or adding a kitchen backsplash.
However, structural changes that involve major framing, roofing, foundation, or system changes such as plumbing, insulation, electrical, or ventilation work may be best left to professionals, depending on your abilities. This is where it’s best to get an objective opinion. Your estimation of your skill set may be dead-on, but it also might be somewhat inflated. Consult a home improvement professional for their opinion on your level of expertise as it relates to the project at hand.
Do Your Homework
Before you start on any home improvement project, it’s important you understand—and visualize—each step of what is involved in it. Sure, you might be able to lay a hardwood floor, but will it be done to professional quality standards that increase your home’s value? And don’t forget to talk to others in the household; after all, they have to live there while the project is in progress.
Dollars and Sense
Commercial home improvement stores have enabled consumers in today’s marketplace to take advantage of an array of tools and materials once accessible only to contractors. While you’re shopping, you can also hang around to watch free clinics such as how to lay hardwood floors or how to build an outdoor grill. Home improvement has never been easier. Or has it?
Consider all the costs associated with completing a project. Do you have the right work supplies for the job such as gloves, eye protection, an assortment of wrenches and screwdrivers, circular saw, and supplies like plumber’s tape or joint compound? Do you have to buy more materials than you need, just because they're only available in large quantities?
You might be able to get away with your basic toolbox for everyday fix-it jobs around the house, but most special projects require special tools. Don't make things harder on yourself by trying to improvise with inadequate gear.
So what are you paying for when you hire a contractor? Well, for one thing, the right tools for the right job. And, while most contractors mark up the cost of the materials to cover their up-front expenses to find, purchase, and bring them to the job, they also have the benefit of purchasing materials at a discount. The final cost to you may not be much more than what you would pay at retail. Oh, and the best part? They do the clean-up, too.
Time is Money
Taking a three-day weekend to tear-down and install new kitchen cabinetry is a much greater investment of time, energy, and effort than taking a Saturday afternoon to paint the guest bathroom a new shade of pink. That being said, there are certain home improvement projects that, based solely on those merits, are worth asking whether it’s worth doing it yourself or hiring a pro.
As the old saying goes, time is money. Do you have the time to research and schedule a contractor for the job, or should you tackle the project yourself since you’re ready to start now? Sometimes, you have no choice in the matter. Your kitchen sink is stopped up and the garbage disposal is broken—which is not exactly a repair that can wait. But you may be able to split the difference; unclog the drain and consider hiring a professional to install the new disposal. Time spent with your family at the kitchen table and not under the kitchen sink is likely time better spent.
Remodeling is Hard Work
Do you have the stamina and the patience to complete the project? Most projects end up taking longer than expected, especially the ones where your knowledge or skill set is particularly challenged. Imagine sitting in the middle of your half-completed kitchen floor at 11 o’clock on a Sunday night, surrounded by piles of tile and bags of unmixed grout. Do you rush to finish, cut a few corners, and then have to hire a professional to fix your work a month later?
And let’s not forget the physical toll some of these projects can take—lifting heavy objects, going up and down ladders, and exercising repetitive motions for long periods of time is tough on the body. Are you up to the task?
Special Considerations
Safety is another major factor to consider. Lack of knowledge, and lack of the right safety equipment, can make even the most well-intentioned and capable homeowner prone to serious injury. Some jobs just necessitate professional help. Fudging your way through something may seem easier, but it’s certainly not safer.
If your home is older, it might contain hazardous materials like asbestos or lead-based paint. You should always have a professional do any removal work, if that is the case. Newer homes don’t have this problem, since both lead and asbestos are no longer used in building materials.
And, lest you forget, your home likely is sitting on city property. That means, in some cases, local codes require that a licensed contractor do the job. Contact your city’s building division to determine whether a building permit is required for any construction projects you wish to undertake. They also can tell you which aspects of the project require a licensed professional.
If you decide to hire a contractor, be sure to do your homework and shop smart. Check references and get several competitive bids before you start.
A Final Thought
Home improvement projects can be fun, but depending on their scope and complexity, projects can challenge even the most veteran do-it-yourselfer. Be sure to weigh the costs, both monetary and personal, before you make a decision. If a project you want to tackle is going to cost more than $1000, it’s a good idea to bring in a professional, at least for a consultation, before deciding to take it on yourself.
You may be one heck of a grillmaster or the horticultural envy of the block, but maybe splicing wires and cutting lumber isn’t your thing. Do what you can, leave what you can’t, and when in doubt, call in the pros.
http://www.growersandnomads.com/article/When%20to%20Hire%20a%20Contractor
All home improvements are not created equal, and how you approach them should reflect that. Sure, doing it yourself can be cheaper and intrinsically rewarding. But let’s be realistic. Just because something may cost less on paper, it doesn’t come without its price. Do you really want to spend your weekend driving back and forth to the home improvement store, or on the bathroom floor tinkering with a toilet?
The first step in any home improvement project is deciding what you can do, and what is best left to the professionals.
Be Realistic
You are quite capable, thank you very much, of handling many home improvement tasks. Just last week you painted the trim on the house, and replaced the track lighting in your home office. There are many great do-it-yourself projects around your house, particularly aesthetic ones, such as painting, installing crown molding, wallpapering, or adding a kitchen backsplash.
However, structural changes that involve major framing, roofing, foundation, or system changes such as plumbing, insulation, electrical, or ventilation work may be best left to professionals, depending on your abilities. This is where it’s best to get an objective opinion. Your estimation of your skill set may be dead-on, but it also might be somewhat inflated. Consult a home improvement professional for their opinion on your level of expertise as it relates to the project at hand.
Do Your Homework
Before you start on any home improvement project, it’s important you understand—and visualize—each step of what is involved in it. Sure, you might be able to lay a hardwood floor, but will it be done to professional quality standards that increase your home’s value? And don’t forget to talk to others in the household; after all, they have to live there while the project is in progress.
Dollars and Sense
Commercial home improvement stores have enabled consumers in today’s marketplace to take advantage of an array of tools and materials once accessible only to contractors. While you’re shopping, you can also hang around to watch free clinics such as how to lay hardwood floors or how to build an outdoor grill. Home improvement has never been easier. Or has it?
Consider all the costs associated with completing a project. Do you have the right work supplies for the job such as gloves, eye protection, an assortment of wrenches and screwdrivers, circular saw, and supplies like plumber’s tape or joint compound? Do you have to buy more materials than you need, just because they're only available in large quantities?
You might be able to get away with your basic toolbox for everyday fix-it jobs around the house, but most special projects require special tools. Don't make things harder on yourself by trying to improvise with inadequate gear.
So what are you paying for when you hire a contractor? Well, for one thing, the right tools for the right job. And, while most contractors mark up the cost of the materials to cover their up-front expenses to find, purchase, and bring them to the job, they also have the benefit of purchasing materials at a discount. The final cost to you may not be much more than what you would pay at retail. Oh, and the best part? They do the clean-up, too.
Time is Money
Taking a three-day weekend to tear-down and install new kitchen cabinetry is a much greater investment of time, energy, and effort than taking a Saturday afternoon to paint the guest bathroom a new shade of pink. That being said, there are certain home improvement projects that, based solely on those merits, are worth asking whether it’s worth doing it yourself or hiring a pro.
As the old saying goes, time is money. Do you have the time to research and schedule a contractor for the job, or should you tackle the project yourself since you’re ready to start now? Sometimes, you have no choice in the matter. Your kitchen sink is stopped up and the garbage disposal is broken—which is not exactly a repair that can wait. But you may be able to split the difference; unclog the drain and consider hiring a professional to install the new disposal. Time spent with your family at the kitchen table and not under the kitchen sink is likely time better spent.
Remodeling is Hard Work
Do you have the stamina and the patience to complete the project? Most projects end up taking longer than expected, especially the ones where your knowledge or skill set is particularly challenged. Imagine sitting in the middle of your half-completed kitchen floor at 11 o’clock on a Sunday night, surrounded by piles of tile and bags of unmixed grout. Do you rush to finish, cut a few corners, and then have to hire a professional to fix your work a month later?
And let’s not forget the physical toll some of these projects can take—lifting heavy objects, going up and down ladders, and exercising repetitive motions for long periods of time is tough on the body. Are you up to the task?
Special Considerations
Safety is another major factor to consider. Lack of knowledge, and lack of the right safety equipment, can make even the most well-intentioned and capable homeowner prone to serious injury. Some jobs just necessitate professional help. Fudging your way through something may seem easier, but it’s certainly not safer.
If your home is older, it might contain hazardous materials like asbestos or lead-based paint. You should always have a professional do any removal work, if that is the case. Newer homes don’t have this problem, since both lead and asbestos are no longer used in building materials.
And, lest you forget, your home likely is sitting on city property. That means, in some cases, local codes require that a licensed contractor do the job. Contact your city’s building division to determine whether a building permit is required for any construction projects you wish to undertake. They also can tell you which aspects of the project require a licensed professional.
If you decide to hire a contractor, be sure to do your homework and shop smart. Check references and get several competitive bids before you start.
A Final Thought
Home improvement projects can be fun, but depending on their scope and complexity, projects can challenge even the most veteran do-it-yourselfer. Be sure to weigh the costs, both monetary and personal, before you make a decision. If a project you want to tackle is going to cost more than $1000, it’s a good idea to bring in a professional, at least for a consultation, before deciding to take it on yourself.
You may be one heck of a grillmaster or the horticultural envy of the block, but maybe splicing wires and cutting lumber isn’t your thing. Do what you can, leave what you can’t, and when in doubt, call in the pros.
http://www.growersandnomads.com/article/When%20to%20Hire%20a%20Contractor
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