Watching DIY tutorials on YouTube and browsing through detailed infographics on Pinterest may have made you believe you are just a tool away from tackling a home renovation idea without even hiring an expert. But there’s some bad news for you.
Don’t let those ‘before and after’ pictures fool you into believing you can take on a job you have no idea about.
Of course, there are some projects – like fixing a leaky faucet or installing a light fixture – that can be easily completed even if you have no prior experience and only a couple of blog posts to guide you. In fact, you can save up a good amount of money by going the DIY route. However, there is a good reason construction and building trades are considered highly skilled jobs.
There are some home improvement and renovation ideas that should be left to the professionals. Otherwise, you may end up with a DIY disaster that would not only be expensive to fix but may even pose a danger to your safety.
Signs you need to hire an expert for home renovation
If you have any major home renovation ideas, here are five signs you need to hire an expert instead of going the DIY route.
Sign#1 – You have a hard time understanding the project
This is a given. If you have a hard time understanding what needs to be done, don’t start it. One of the biggest DIY mistakes homeowners make is thinking all the instructions would make sense once they begin the project. That’s rarely the case.
Taking on a home renovation job requires more than a flair for creativity and an eye for design. To start off, you need to know if the material you are using is sturdy enough. Also, make sure the tools you have selected are the correct ones.
Depending on the project, you’ll also need to do some math. Moreover, you’ll have to check for the stability of the structure, understand the technicalities and make sure you don’t end up doing more damage.
If you fail to understand what needs to be done from the get-go, you might not be able to identify any problems that might arise later. If you can’t get a good grasp of the details, it’s time to bring in a professional to assess the situation.
Sign#2 – Major electrical and/or plumbing work is involved
If your home renovation idea involves any electrical or plumbing work, leave it to the professionals. Changing a fused bulb is one thing, but playing around with electrical wires is completely different. You cannot only start a fire but also cause a major short circuit that can be hazardous to you.
Instead of accidentally starting an electric fire, hire an electrician.
The same goes for plumbing. Fixing a leaking faucet might not be difficult, but fixing a broken pipe can lead to severe water damage. Moreover, you might not even find out about it until it’s too late.
Working with gas could be dangerous as well, considering how a small mistake can potentially set your house on fire. Similarly, hiring a plumber or a carpenter might set you back a few thousand rupees, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Structural repairs and major architectural work is no exception. Unless you have some prior experience, don’t let an online home renovation DIY tutorial make things even more difficult for you.
Sign#3 – An expert suggested you hire a professional
If someone knowledgeable or well-versed with the craft of home renovation tells you to hire an expert, you may want to listen to them.
For instance, if you visit a hardware store to buy the required material and the workers tell you to get some outside help, they may have a point. Of course, you shouldn’t let anyone discourage you – especially when you know for sure you can do the job flawlessly.
However, if you even have an iota of a doubt, stop for a brief moment and think the entire thing through once again.
It is important to point out that home renovation contractors and professionals might dampen your DIY spirit for their own personal gains. But if someone who doesn’t really benefit from the situation gives you an advice, don’t disregard it.
What you should do, however, is to talk to a couple more people who have either renovated their home by themselves. You can also talk to someone who knows a lot of people who have tried such projects.
Sign#4 – It can pose a threat to your safety or result in an injury
Before you roll up your sleeves and get started on the project, ask yourself about the worst thing that could happen if you attempt to take on that home improvement job. If you could only end up with some poorly painted shelves, go for it.
However, if there’s even a slight possibility of you electrocuting yourself or flooding the house, contact an expert. The wall you are trying to patch up may collapse from water damage or termite infestation that you weren’t able to identify. You could also end up injuring others.
For instance, if you are planning to knock down walls to open up some space in your house or apartment, you need to hire a contractor. The reason being you probably won’t know which beams are supporting the roof. Hiring a home improvement expert ensures that you don’t end up damaging the structure of the house or weakening its foundation.
Sign#5 – You don’t have enough time on your hands
Time is the biggest restraint for most DIY tutorial fans. While the idea of remodelling your house on a budget may seem very satisfying, it could turn into a giant mess if you are not able to give it the time it deserves. Even if you are fully capable of doing the job yourself, you need to make sure your work or family obligations are not getting in the way. If they are, don’t go down the rabbit hole of do-it-yourself guides and make sure to ask for professional help.
Moreover, let’s not forget that everyone would be able to tell if you do a poor job. Of course, it won’t really matter if the paint in your bedroom is uneven or if one of the shelves in your bathroom cabinet is slightly misaligned. But if you have attempted to re-do your kitchen or did a poor job tiling the floor by yourself, your inexperience might make your mistakes look pretty obvious.
In the long run, it can also bring down the value of your house.
However, if you’re looking for some doable home improvement ideas, here are a few affordable weekend DIY projects that will upgrade the look of entire your home.
