In the age of the internet it is becoming increasingly popular for homeowners all over to go the DIY route on home improvement projects. This can be a great way to save money - if you are prepared and know what you are doing.
However, we get calls frequently from homeowners who tried to DIY and now need our help. In these situations, you may end up spending even more than if you had gone with a professional from the beginning. To help you avoid this fate, we have come up with five questions you must ask yourself before you DIY.
This questions may not keep you from going the DIY route completely, but it is definitely something you should consider. The money you save by doing it yourself could be offset by the price of the tools and materials.
On the other hand, of course, you will probably have some pretty sweet tools that you can brag to your friends about (or use on future projects.) Just make sure this question enters the equation.
For many Atlanta area homeowners time=money. So even if you are saving money by doing it yourself, will the time required be worth it to you? After all, it’s been said that the only truly limited resource in life is time.
Of course, if you are someone who enjoys tinkering and working with your hands, this question is probably a no-brainer because DIY-ing is how you love to spend your time. However, if this is your first DIY project, be honest about how much time it will take you and how long you can live with the down-time in your home.
Now it’s time to get to the tough questions. Do you have the skills to complete this project? Go through each step in the project and see if there are any specialized skills you will need.
For example, will you need to know how to do something as specialized as soldering? If there are skills you don’t posses, practice them before beginning the project so you know what to expect when the time comes. If it’s not something you’re comfortable with, hire a professional.
While you can find the answers to just about every DIY home question somewhere online, there are a few things we do not recommend doing yourself. They include anything that involves electricity or gas lines, as well as the bigger plumbing projects.
The reason is simple – even a small mistake in these projects will be costly. A small electrical mistake can be deadly. A small mistake with gas can leak deadly carbon monoxide into your home, and a small problem in your plumbing could flood your home and cause thousands of dollars in damage (we’ve seen it before.)
Consider that licensed plumbers and electricians in Atlanta go through years of apprenticeship and/or vocational school. That experience is invaluable.
Doing it yourself offers a great sense of accomplishment and can save you hundreds of dollars. But before you dive in, make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. And, as always, if you need to hire a professional plumbing, heating or cooling company, contact Coolray – Atlanta’s best.
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