30 Sep Hire a Handyman PRO or DIY?
Do you enjoy handling residential maintenance projects? Sometimes, taking the DIY route can be beneficial and save you plenty of dollars. But even so, you need to require proper planning and evaluation before handling the job on your own. If you are not sure what you are doing, you’re putting a lot at stake. Similarly, there are some tasks that are best left to professionals. Otherwise, you might end up paying more than it would have initially cost. In addition to a bunch of money you could lose, you’ll feel defeated and put your safety and health at risk.
DIY projects can be fun and an incredible way to start saving while turning your home into a better place. But, are you wondering when to DIY or hire a local handyman? If so, you are at the right place. In this article, we will discuss what projects are DIY and which ones require professional handyman services. So let’s get started and go over the right way to handle residential maintenance projects.
Common Home Projects to DIY
Here are three common home DIY projects:
Painting & Decorating
Cosmetic changes are safe maintenance options to try as a DIY project. Even if you’ve never tried anything like this before, you should take some time to learn how it’s done properly. There are plenty of videos available on YouTube to help you learn painting. To perform this task correctly, you need to prepare your walls, learn how to hang wallpaper, and paint the wall evenly and neatly, especially around the edges.
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- Painting
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Many homeowners and renters love painting their homes as a DIY project. After all, it seems so easy: just gather some equipment and get started without any professional knowledge. However, you should have some basic skills and know a few techniques for the best finish. But, don’t worry, you can learn from your mistakes. Even so, hiring a professional handyman to assist you might save time and money.
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- Wallpapering
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Wallpapering is another fun DIY project because you have plenty of options based on your expertise and style. Wallpapering requires more effort than painting. At a minimum, you should arrange the paper on a table, apply the paste, then hang the paper on the wall. Furthermore, you need to ensure the perfect lining patterns and that no bubbles or creases are present. Here’s an instructional DIY wallpapering tutorial.
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- Wood Staining
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Wood staining isn’t a tough job that doesn’t always require handyman services depending on the size and complexity of the project. For example, when you have wooden features or patio decks such as wooden floorboards or banisters around your house, those items you can attempt to do yourself. Again, all depending on the complexity of the project. Simply purchase the right products, create a plan to use them, read the instructions, and off you go.
But if ever in doubt, rely on your trusted and licensed handyman pros to efficiently handle it for you.
Minor Plumbing Work
When it comes to plumbing, you need to be more careful. There are two types of plumbing projects, i.e., minor and major projects. Minor ones are the DIY projects, and these include
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- Toilet installation
- Minor fixture leaks
- Changing shower head
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If for some reason you run into problems with these, stop what you’re doing and call the pros. Minor leaks or incorrect installations can cause much larger problems if not handled properly. Which can even eventually lead to flooding and possibly even mold if accidentally left undetected.
Minor Electrical Work
Like plumbing, electric work is also divided into minor and major projects. You should leave bigger projects to professional handyman services because they’re risky to do on your own. Here are some electrical jobs that are safe to perform as a DIY project:
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- Installing a new light fixture
- Changing light switch plates
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If an issue arises that means you have to handle wires of any sort, again, call your trusted electrician or handyman to take care of it for you. These issues can cause electric shock or even fires if handled incorrectly!
Projects You Should Leave to the Pros
Many homeowners think that with enough determination, any residential maintenance task can be a do-it-yourself project. But, whether you want to enjoy the challenge or save money, it’s best to leave some projects for the local expert handyman. Therefore, don’t try the following tasks at home:
Flooring
Flooring seems like a DIY project, but in reality, it involves much more effort than it looks. You need to rip up the old flooring and replace it with the new. Whether you are installing a wooden or tiled floor, it is essential to have sufficient skills, or else you may end up starting over. Also, you never know what is under the flooring. Perhaps the internal flooring material is damaged or warped and needs staining or leveling. Maybe, the subfloor is rotting or cracking and requires careful inspection. Therefore, you can do yourself a favor and hire a professional flooring expert to make sure it gets done correctly the first time.
Walls
Redoing the walls sounds easy, right? Simply rip out the panels and add new ones. Wrong. The wall supports different parts of the home, plumbing system, and electrical wiring. Ripping down the wall as a DIY project can lead to serious damage to your home’s structure. Sometimes, you require special permission from the local regulating department to perform this type of work. Hence, it’s best to hire your professional local handyman services.
Wiring
For these projects, it’s a no-brainer that you need a professional handyman. As previously mentioned, performing wiring projects puts you at risk of electrocution and total power loss. Also, this residential maintenance requires that you have a permit. Just say no to DIY’ing anything to do with wiring.
Why Hire the PROs for Home Projects?
People hire professional handyman services for numerous reasons. Here are some to take into account:
Extensive Experience
While you can certainly attempt renovation projects on your own, sometimes you will require a handyman with extensive experience in the field. Home additions, kitchens, and bathrooms are some projects that you cannot compromise on going wrong.
Safety for Protecting Home and People
Safety is a priority when it comes to residential maintenance. By hiring a professional handyman, you not only do the job right but also protect the property from damage and prevent bodily injuries. A professional handyman service provider has a permit for the job. They are aware of local and international codes to maintain a safe environment in the workplace and prevent damage.
Overall Money Savings
In 2019, Statista conducted research and found that more than 407 billion dollars were spent on home improvement expenditure. Apart from spending money on supplies and materials, you can enhance the lifespan of your home improvement by hiring an experienced handyman. A handyman most often won’t make mistakes while performing a task. And if they do, they typically have procedures in place to address and correct the issues promptly and at zero to little cost to the homeowner (depending on the situation). They will do it right the first time, which helps you avoid incurring massive expenses.
The Bottom Line
When your home is lacking in terms of aesthetics or functionality, you should contact a professional with experience with these types of projects. That’s where we come in. At GARSC, we make sure that every professional handyman task is performed in a safe and secure environment, and is planned and produced with expert care. Get in touch with our team if you want further information about the type of handyman projects we handle.
By: Kayla Gonzales, GARSC Marketing Manager