Should I DIY

February 27, 2014 Steven Murphy Comments Off on Should I DIY

A lot of DIY jobs are easy but there are some that are not so easy because they require expensive tools or because they require the kind of practice that comes from doing a job day in and day out. It will benefit you to know the difference between a job you can do yourself and a job that you should call the professionals in for. When all else fails use common sense and you cant go wrong.

You would be surprised at the amount of people who jump straight in to a DIY job without knowing what they’re doing.  You wouldn’t attempt to fly an airplane without practice and there are a lot of home improvements that require practice before attempting them yourself.

Before you attempt any home improvements you need to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I know what I’m doing?  This applies to a lot of plumbing or electrical jobs that require additions or alterations and can also apply to altering the structure of your house. If you’re in any doubt if a job is safe enough to do then don’t do it. Some jobs are best leaving for the professionals including anything to do with gas installations or work on roofs.

2. Have I had enough practice? Some home improvement skills such as plastering simply cannot be learned over night they require a certain level of skill and many hours of practice. If your job requires large amount of plastering sometimes it’s better to call in the professionals because if you mess it up then it could end up costing you double or triple in the long run.

3. What equipment is required? Without the correct equipment you will struggle to get the desired result for the job you’re attempting. Some people hire the equipment needed but this can sometimes work out more expensive than having the job professionally done.  A sensible option is to lend any required tools from a friend.

4. How long will the job take? It will probably take you longer to do a job than it would take a professional to do the same job and this may not matter if you have plenty of time on your hands but then again you could be off earning money or relaxing. A problem a lot of DIY enthusiasts have is that when a job takes longer than they expected the quality of the work there doing starts to suffer and they end up with a job that has a poor finish.

5. Am I allowed to do this? In some countries including the UK you need permission from your local authority for a lot of building work especially major additions or alterations to the structure of your property. Always follow the correct procedures and get any planning permission that is needed because not following the law can become very costly.

There are a lot of home improvements that you can do yourself but use common sense and know when a job is too big for you. Follow the guide above and you can’t go far wrong.

Categories: category

Tags: Should