Home remodels and renovations are great ways to add personality, style, and value to your home. But all too often, a large number of motivated homeowners try to take on big projects only to find they’ve opened up a huge can of worms.
The truth is, sometimes you need to leave certain jobs up to the professionals. And while there are a number of jobs that you’re more than likely able to do on your own with little difficulty, you really need to know what type of renovation jobs are within your own skill-set.
For example, you might be pretty handy around the house, but could you re-shingle a roof? Or are you confident enough in the construction skills that you could build an entire addition on your own?
If you’re looking to jump into remodeling, the following will detail the intricacies of common projects. And you’ll then be able to decide if you have the necessary skills, or if you should leave it up to the professionals.
Tools
source: architecturaldigest.com
As a homeowner, you probably have a modest set of tools that are ideal for smaller home projects. But unless you’ve worked on big renovation jobs in the past, or if you’ve ever worked as a renovation contractor, you might not have the right tools to do bigger jobs.
For example, large additions and other big projects might require the need for a variety of materials. And some of these materials might be quite large or heavy. If this is the case, you’ll likely need a durable pickup truck to transport your materials.
If you find that you don’t have the necessary tools, you’ll likely end up spending far more on your renovation project just in the cost of tools that you’ll need to complete the job. And if this is the case, you’d probably be better off hiring a professional.
A professional home renovation contractor will already have the necessary tools and equipment to perform the job. So you could easily spend just as much on a DIY project (plus tool cost) as you would to hire a professional contractor.
Level of Difficulty
source: hgtv.com
Just about any person can change a light bulb. But have you ever attempted to install light fixtures, power receptacles, or wire and hang a ceiling fan?
Anybody who is looking to renovate or remodel a home has to take the level of difficulty associated with the job into consideration. Because if you don’t you could easily damage something or hurt yourself in the process.
For example, if you want to install track lighting in your home, you’ll most likely need to have advanced electrical experience. And if you don’t, you may wire your lighting incorrectly which could result in a safety hazard or physical harm.
Planning
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Building a home requires a set of skills that many homeowners simply do not possess. In fact, building a home requires meticulous planning, drawing up of blueprints, knowledge of soil composition, land survey knowledge, and many other unique skills.
Anything that involves intricate planning is usually a sign that you need to hire professional help. And this is for several reasons.
Basically, if you want to build a small deck, add a small extension of concrete to your patio, or even build a small path, these are jobs that you can probably do on your own. But if you’re trying to build an addition and need to pour an entire home foundation, there are many elements to consider.
At the end of the day, when you begin planning your project and you find that there are factors that you haven’t considered or elements that aren’t familiar, this is when it’s time to call a professional.
Unknowns
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During any home renovation project, you may come across a number of unknowns that you hadn’t foreseen, or were unaware of. And these can come in many forms.
For example, in older communities, especially when attempting to renovate a home built over a century ago, you’ll likely come across many unfamiliar elements. And these can come in the form of out-of-date insulation, wiring, building methods, insect damage, and many others.
If you come across one of these situations and you’re not experienced enough to handle it (especially with out-of-date wiring) you really need to call a professional. And this is simply because you run the risk of making a problem even worse, or you could hurt yourself.
Renovations can be fun projects and allow you to build new skills. But with many home renovations, you never really know what you’re getting into. So when you come across elements that you know you’re not fit to deal with, there’s no shame in calling in professional help.
