There’s no way around it. Home renovations are costly. They are worthy investments, but costly nonetheless. Those high costs might lead you to consider doing some projects yourself. DIY is every homeowners best secret weapon. But with great power comes great responsibility. If the project at hand is too big for your undertaking it could land you directly where you didn’t want to be; spending more money than you planned. So what’s worth the extra cash for professional help and what’s worth saving some dough and doing with your own two hands? The list might surprise you. Let’s look, shall we?
God Gave You Two Hands
So you should use them, right? Well, in smaller renovation situations you most certainly should. Small things? Yeah, small things. Painting the walls, replacing small light fixtures that don’t require more than connecting color coordinated wiring, some flooring swaps like linoleum to snap and lock wood flooring. If you’re feeling extra fit and adventurous, you can lay tile, swap out a toilet, change your water fixtures and get the fellas at any delivery and installation home improvement store to switch out your tub and completely renovate the bathroom. You will be mightily sore after such an event. But if you’re confident in your abilities and you’re not moving any plumbing or electrical work then it’s very much in the realm of DIY.
Before you begin any DIY attempt, though, do your research. Between the experts at home improvement stores and the internet there is a wealth of information out there on how to successfully re-tile a bathroom. Like reading a recipe or an instruction manual, there’s a process in how to approach everything home remodel related. Ask questions, get them answered and then attack. Going into something even as simple as changing your fan without proper knowledge of procedure could turn that $200 revamp into a $2,000 regret.
Who You Gonna Call? Pro-fessionals!
Obviously, you can paint a wall. It really takes care and attention to detail. But you can also pay someone to do the job for you if you don’t have the time or desire to complete an accent wall yourself. However, even if you broke literal ground in your backyard last summer and paved a new patio for your barbeque and are feeling like the complete hero that you are, some things should just be left to the professionals. Plumbing, Electric, Gas, HVAC, Foundation Laying or Repair, and Structural Construction ALL need to be left to the trained, certified, experienced professionals.
You also want to consider some seemingly small, but in reality more complex projects such as custom cabinetry, laying carpet, refinishing natural wood floors, or reupholstering a favorite couch or chair to the pros as well. Even replacing your kitchen counters with granite or quartz. Those materials are heavy. It’s much better for someone with the strength and stamina (and insurance) to handle these jobs.
But What About The Fun Part? DEMOLITION!!!
Yes, you can partake in some of the demolition if you want. Especially if you’re doing a complete transformation and ripping out carpet or knocking down walls. Talk to your contractor and have your epsom salt bath ready to go when you finish, but demolition can sometimes be taken entirely upon yourself to save a few bucks. Just make sure you aren’t in danger of hitting anything important connected to a utility.
When it comes down to it, the best judge of doability is how much certification these jobs require on a professional level. If you need specialized training to even apply for the job, let the professionals handle it. If the process looks or sounds complicated and easy to mess up, let the professionals handle it. But don’t let a little elbow grease and a whole lot of sweat shy you away from a project.