When it comes to home improvements there is a fine line between “do it yourself” and in “over your head.” It seems more and more people every day are taking on jobs that they would have considered beyond their abilities not that long ago.
This can be attributed to a couple of things. First, with all of the do it yourself popularity on television nowadays people are seeing regular folks like themselves making big bucks remodeling their homes for big profit. Second, with the home market being what it is, less people are moving and more are fixing up their homes, but with the economy being the way it is, holding back on hiring a contractor.
Blogs like this encourage this whole concept of do-it-yourself, but for different reasons. We all know how difficult it is to hire service people. Finding good service people is not an easy task. And if you do find someone good there is often a long wait before they can get to your job. This type of service person is also able to charge what they are worth and command high prices. They know that they are good and that people are willing to pay for their service.
These are the reasons that I encourage people to move out of their comfort zone and try some things themselves. There are many jobs around your home that you can get done yourself. What I don’t encourage is taking on a job that is way over your head and will get you in trouble like you see on television.
Obviously if you have never done any kind of work around your home before I do not recommend that you replace your roofing shingles. And replacing plumbing fixtures would even be kind of a stretch, at least for right now. You may also want to leave your carpentry and sheet rocking for someone else with more experience.
However, if you have become tired of sloppy painters, landscapers that trample your flowers, cleaning people that don’t clean or anyone else that comes in your home to do a job that you can to yourself, I am all for you giving it your best shot. That is what Your Online Handyman is about and why I began this blog. To help you, the do-it-yourselfer get it done.
If you are interested in doing jobs around your home begin with things that are at your ability level. For a beginner this may mean such things as caulking a shower, fixing a screen or painting. For someone with a little more experience this could mean replacing broken sheet rock or tiles, replacing an interior door or installing an irrigation system.
TV personality Mike Holmes of Holmes on Homes said recently “we fix crap after crap because of house flippers that don’t know how to do it right.” Holmes blames popular television house flipping shows for causing homeowners to think the work is easier than it really is.
I completely agree with Mike Holmes, someone who has never done home improvements before should not be completely restoring their house. You need to learn basics and take one step at a time.
When it comes to home improvements you should not take on more than you are capable of doing. Do not take on something that is advanced if it’s the first time that you are doing a project. However, if you are interested in doing it yourself, don’t let your fears hold you back. Move out of your comfort zone and begin with something simple. Your Online Handyman is here to help.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
You are 101% right on all the things you said. I know basic home electricity fixing, plumbing, painting but I never try to fix any home problem myself. I always call a trained, well-experienced handyman to my rescue.
That is probably a good idea when it comes to the electricity and the plumbing. However when it comes to painting you may want to give it a try. You do not necessarily have to, but as I recommend to anyone that is becoming frustrated with home service people, you can do the job yourself if you want to. It is entirely up to you, but along with saving money, you would not have to rely on anyone else. Just remember to make sure that the job is not over your head when you take it on. The option is always there.
It’s all so true, getting into diy projects can be very rewarding and save lots of money, but research and planning are the majority of any project. So start your project out right and do some research, ask the experts and have the right tools for the job. You’ll have some fun and build confidence to move on to the next job.
Remember planning is everything.