It started innocently enough. The drywall in Ken’s poorly-ventilated bathroom had developed some small spots of rot, and they required replacing. A simple demolition and replacement could be done over the weekend. Money would be saved, and maybe he’d even learn something. Heck, there might even be time to prime and paint the walls to boot.
Fast-forward one week. Ken’s family has no use of the bathroom. The kids have developed coughs, his wife has an intractable headache, and Ken’s bad back has now lodged its own complaint. Knee-deep in plaster dust, choking from black mold, and taken aback by the underestimated extent of the rot, the humbled homeowner now reaches for his phone.
While admirable for his principles, Ken has made several classic do-it-yourself remodeling mistakes that homeowners tend to make. Namely, he has gotten in over his head, exposed his family to health hazards, and has incurred far more costs in the process.
Top 4 Reasons Not to D-I-Y Your Home
Here are the top 4 reasons why you might want to reconsider the “Y” in a DIY home remodel.
Unrealistic time frame
DIY projects look incredibly easy on TV shows and social media. With expert contractors and teams of helpers on call, remodels look like a snap. The reality is that real life is messy, and most of us aren’t experts with expert tools.
It’s only once we tear out that wall, or bring home a truckload of lumber that we realize we’re missing the critical miter saw or precision-marking T-rule.
Not only will the experts get the project done faster because they know what they’re doing, but also by virtue of having the correct tools.
Health
Do you have the right protective eyewear for electrical work?
What about respiratory protection from airborne mold spores?
How will you remove and dispose of old insulation, and can you be certain that insulation isn’t hazardous?
On a physical level, is your body up for hauling bags of concrete up the driveway and across the porch, or are your deadlifting days long gone?
If we are considering taking on a project, we must include the physical toll within the scope of the project. Many professionals wear special belts and support harnesses, and have been trained in specific ergonomics for their trade in order to avoid injury.
While the average DIY-er may know to “lift with your legs,” in theory, in practice they might find themselves with pulled muscles (or worse) after biting off more project than they can chew.
The CDC reports that more than 500,000 people in the U.S. are victims of ladder-related injuries each year. You don’t want to become part of that grim statistic either.
Code Violations
Quick: What are the top seven changes in the National Electrical Code? Stumped?
Surely your home inspector will know when it’s time to sell your house. Bringing a house up to code in the midst of marketing it will only add to an already stressful situation.
Or in a worse scenario, if your electrical wiring is not properly grounded, you could be putting your house at risk for fire damage.
Electrical mistakes are easy to make for the untrained, which is why navigating electrical (or any technical work overseen and enforced by code) is often best left to the pros.
Cost
While saving money is often the motivator to spearhead a DIY remodeling project, the reality is that it may not be more cost-effective.
Costs escalate quickly once homeowners get into the thick of a project: tools, supplies, and the realization of the actual scale of the project.
One often overlooked and vastly underestimated cost is time. As mentioned earlier, the pros can get the project done faster, freeing you up to pursue the things that you already know you do well.
Many homeowners don’t call in the experts until they realize they are in too deep.
At this point, a lot of their materials, their potentially botched work, and their time are all sunk costs.
While we all value the pride that comes from completing a DIY project, a dose of realism goes a long way. Take a good hard look at the scope of your project, make peace with your DIY skills, recognize that we all specialize for a reason, and call in the pros.
