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Undergoing A DIY Home Improvement Project? A List of Things to Consider
by Aileen
Whether you’re trying to improve your home’s curb appeal to increase its earning potential or just give your interior a much needed face lift, the fact remains that home improvements can get pretty pricey. Before hiring a contractor to do the job, ask yourself if you wouldn’t be able to do it yourself, and save a lot of money in the process.
Of course, whether or not you will be able to do an effective job yourself will depend on your experience and level of expertise, as well as the nature of the job itself. If you’ve decided that a DIY home improvement project is the way to go, there are a few things you should consider before you get started.
Make a detailed plan
Obvious as this may seem, many homeowners start their DIY projects without sufficient knowledge of what it will entail, the materials they will need and exactly how much it will all cost. This can result in you spending more than you intended to, or running up against a brick wall with your renovations halfway through and needing to hire a contractor anyway.
To avoid this, make sure you do detailed research before you get started. Make a step by step outline of what the project will entail by doing research online and speaking to someone who has experience with the job you will be carrying out.
Next, make a list of everything you will need to get the job done, and go to a few different DIY and home improvement stores to price the materials and ensure that you will be getting the best deals possible.
Buying in bulk can save you a significant amount of money, so if you are planning similar renovations in the future, you may want to consider buying a larger amount. You could also find out if any of your friends or neighbors need similar materials and split the costs to get a better deal.
Speak to your municipality before starting
Even if you don’t think you will need any permits for the work you intent to carry out, it is always safer to double check. Many things that you may not think require a permit, such as adding a tool shed in your yard or having your roof redone, will require a permit in some counties.
Types of permits you may need include building permits, electrical permits, plumbing permits mechanical permits and zoning permits. All construction projects or upgrades that cost more than $5,000 may also require a building permit.
Building permits for simple home improvement projects probably seem like a lot of fuss and bother over nothing, but the requirements have been put in place to protect homeowners and the general public from unsafe construction and ensure that the proper safety standards will be met.
Dropping by your municipality before you get started could save you a lot of hassle and even legal trouble in the long run.
Set aside an extra amount of money
Even if you have a good budget set aside for the work you want to carry out, it is always a good idea to save an extra amount, usually around 10 to 20 percent of your total budget. Because even if you have planned everything out carefully, there are always things that could go wrong, from a burst water pipe to a shortage of materials.
If you prepare for these things in advance, you won’t be taken by surprise when you have to shell out more money than you initially intended to. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Prepare for the aftermath
Construction work and home improvements tend to cause a great deal of mess and confusion in your home. Knowing what to expect will prevent you from becoming overly stressed or getting stuck with piles of trash for weeks on end.
Old materials, used cans of paint and chemicals — most of the waste you produce during a home improvement project cannot be disposed of in your regular trash, so it’s important to have a plan for where it will go.
You could arrange to have waste removed immediately once the project is complete by contacting a construction waste recycling plant. You will need to find out how to separate the materials so that chemicals or dangerous substances will not go to landfills and contribute to environmental problems.
If you don’t know of any waste recycling companies in your area, your municipality should be able to give you advice about where you can take your waste, although you may find that disposing of construction materials will cost you more than you anticipated. Preparing for this in advance will help you to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Try to keep things as organized as possible during the home improvements to reduce the stressful conditions that remodeling can cause. Trash dumpsters can help with this, as you will be able to clean up the debris at the end of each day.
Author Bio:
Aileen Pablo is part of the team behind Open Colleges, one of Australia’s leading providers of interior design courses. When not working, Aileen blogs about travel, lifestyle, home improvement, and beauty tips. She is also often invited as a speaker in Personality Development Seminars in the Philippines.If you have a blog and would like quality content you can find her on Google+.
