Whether you are browsing on Pinterest or watching HGTV, it looks like DIY or Do-It-Yourself projects are easy to do. After all, who needs professionals if you can do the project by yourself. Imagine the satisfaction you can get when you see the finished product, beautiful, and you spend less money you don’t need to pay someone to do the job. All you need are the materials, your skills and abilities.
But there are certain risks in doing DIY projects. There’s a reason why people hire professionals, and it is because they don’t know everything about the project they are trying to do. One wrong move and you will be losing money, time, effort and possibly injure yourself. Don’t start your project with a D-I-whY-Not because it will result in D-I-whY-Did-I-Do-This. But it does not mean that you should not attempt to do the project yourself. You need to plan everything and study how the professionals do it.
DIY does not mean you need to do everything
There’s a saying, “If you want the job done right, you have to do it yourself.” But when it comes to Do-It-Yourself projects, that does not apply. You don’t need to do every project by yourself. You can search through a high quality local magazine for tips on how to properly do Do-It-Yourself projects. There’s also the risk of doing DIY without proper permits and inspection on how it can affect residential and commercial spaces.
When doing Do-It-Yourself projects, professionals suggest that people should be more realistic about what you can and what you can’t do. Replacing hinges or doorknobs is something anyone can do. But replacing a whole ceiling or building cabinets is something you should leave to the professionals.
Also, you should make sure that the DIY project is cost-effective. For example, if you buy a $100 drill to make five holes, that’s $20 per hole, and not to mention the hourly rate you will get for doing the work. But the biggest mistake any person can make is hiring the wrong people for the job.
In case you can’t do a DIY for your project, you need to make sure that the contractor you hire is competent, qualified and licensed. If the contractor you hire can’t provide a license, they can’t offer permits under their name or even insurance for the work they are about to do, and there’s a big chance that the contractor is either unqualified or a bogus company. You have to verify the contractor’s insurance policy, license and working permits.
(To know more about DIY projects and home renovations, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_it_yourself,)
Never assume that everything will go according to your plan
According to Do-It-Yourself experts, every project has its flaws. Some go over budget, some will take more time to finish, and some projects are too complicated, you might need the help of someone who has experience in doing the job. You have to be prepared for everything that’s not in your plans, always remember that. But having these problems does not mean that you need to be a taskmaster. You don’t need to micromanage everything. You have to put together a manageable task for the contractors to follow, and review what they have done at the end of the day to make sure that everything is in order and to track your budget and the timing. Another tip is never to start a new project if the previous one is not done yet. Multitasking has not worked for anyone’s advantage.
Prepare everything before painting
According to expert interior designers, the key to an excellent Do-It-Yourself painting job is to prepare everything before starting the project. Preparing includes patching the holes, sanding rough patches, wiping down and dry the walls and masking everything that you don’t want to be painted on like electrical outlets, windows, doors, or trims. You can use painter’s tape, or if you don’t have one, you can use masking tapes. Depending on how big the place you are working, these can be very tedious and time-consuming. (For a step-by-step process on painting a room, click here.)
But once this step is done, your painting job will be like a walk in the park. It is also essential to apply a primer before you use your main paint. It is an integral part of your preparation. A primer is essential, especially if you are making a color change from a dark color paint to a lighter one. The primer will help you seal the surface and hide all the imperfections underneath so that you can have the best and flawless-looking finish for your job.
