If you are like most people, you have a long list of projects in your home you want to get done. And you may be wondering which ones you can do yourself and which ones you should hire a pro to complete. Doing projects, yourself may save you money – but do you have the time, tools, and skills needed? Hiring a contractor or professional may complete the job quicker and free you up for other things you chose to spend your time on. Of course, it will cost more.
The first thing to do is to access your available time, money and skills. Projects such as painting walls, most people already have some knowledge and experience in doing. it’s just a matter of do you have the time and willingness. Other more complex projects (such as adding or replacing a garbage disposal) requires knowledge, mechanical skills, and tools; If not done correctly could result in calling a plumber anyway. And there goes your cost savings.
So how do you determine which task you can do on your own? One great tool is the internet. You can learn pretty much anything by watching a couple YouTube videos. If you have a task, like the garbage disposal above, watch a few on-line videos, then take an honest look at yourself and decide if this job is for you. If so, proceed carefully, and have a “back-up plan” in case something goes wrong.
You may have a long list of projects around the house you want to get done. In those situations, you may want to perform the “easier” ones first. And as you build up your home improvement skills, you can move onto the more advanced projects. One added benefit of doing some the smaller projects yourself: new or restored confidence.
As one last word of advice: if you decide to hire a “Pro” or Contractor, I recommend you get referrals from friends and always get more than one quote. And you should never pay the contractor all the money until the job is complete and you’re satisfied with the quality. Best of luck to you- at whatever project you plan to tackle next!
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