A Quick Guide for Assessing a Potential DIY Home Project  by Paul Denikin

You may have heard the phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When it comes to do-it-yourself home projects, we can modify that a bit to say “an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of effort.”

Before you tackle any home improvement project - from simple things like painting, landscaping, and installing light fixtures to more complicated tasks like replacing bathroom fixtures, re-tiling floors, and building a fence or wood deck - you must sit down and assess the job. You must be prepared for what curveballs may come at you if you tackle it DIY, and when it may be a good time to call in the professionals.

Do I have the skills/tools to do the project safely?

When you think about any home improvement project in the abstract, it may seem feasible to DIY. A good tip is to make a list of every single step (get really granular) involved in the project. Once it’s all laid out on paper, it’s easier to spot potential trouble zones.

Listen to your instinct. Two jobs may require some electrical work, but they may be vastly different in terms of risk. Changing out a light fixture, for instance, involves some electrical work but it’s pretty simple and surely DIY territory. Rewiring your whole kitchen, on the other hand, is likely too much for a non-professional.

Plumbing, dealing with load-bearing walls, and any project that requires heavy, dangerous machinery may be better left to the pros. Also, as Lifehacker points out, there’s the permit question”

“One warning sign a project may be over your head is if your town has building codes for it, mandated for safety purposes. You might be required to get a permit to do the work, and that might mean you have no choice but to hire a professional.”

How much do I value my time?

When assessing any home project, it’s best to overestimate the time it will take you to complete it. If a professional can, for example, remodel a bathroom (new sinks, tubs, flooring, fixtures, etc) in 10 days, don’t assume you can do it in 10 days. You probably can’t.

So, this brings up the big question: how much do you value your time? If you (and your family) doesn’t mind living in a construction zone for weeks or maybe a month, sure, go ahead and tackle it yourself. If saving on labor costs is worth spending two or three times as long finishing a project as a pro would, that’s a decision some people make.

There are plenty of DIY projects that are completely doable, but become much quicker and easier with help. Even if you do most of the work yourself, consider recruiting help for tasks that require specific equipment, such as moving items to storage, or a specific skill set, like grouting a space you’ve already tiled. There’s a real advantage, time-wise, to asking for assistance.

What is my return on investment and does it matter to me?

There’s a good chance that you are improving a certain aspect of your home for nothing more than its value to you, as the person who lives there. But if you’re making home improvement to increase the value of your home, it’s good to know which projects have to best return on investment.

Just to name a few, new hardwood flooring, building a deck or patio, a new roof, and kitchen a bathroom remodels are some of the best home projects for ROI. Check here for some more.

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com