About Do-It-Yourself Home Remodeling Repairs
Do-it-yourself (DIY) remodeling repairs are worth the effort for homeowners who want to save money and enjoy rewarding hobbies. A wide variety of websites, home improvement television shows and magazines promote the interest and offer help and suggestions to DIY home remodeling enthusiasts. A home remodeling project can take the shape of a simple paint job or the construction of an entire room. Although experienced do-it-yourself remodelers can do major construction jobs, most homeowners stick to the smaller jobs that include redecorating, minor improvements and repairs. Does this Spark an idea?
Trial and Error
Some DIY home remodeling repairs make for better learning situations than others. If the power needs to be turned off to install a new light fixture or ceiling fan, the homeowner should be confident that she can do the job in a relatively short period of time. While knocking down walls to make a room larger may sound fun and easy, the finishing work may put the room out of commission for a very long time. Necessary utilities such as water and sewage should only be interrupted by a do-it-yourselfer with experience in the procedure to avoid long shutdowns of the services.
Safety
Safety is a major concern for do-it-yourself home remodelers. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that accidents caused by inexperienced home improvement buffs increased more than 200 percent in the first decade of the 21st century. Homeowners often tackle projects with little or no experience, and little knowledge of basic safety precautions. Unexpected holdups or time constraints cause the DIY remodeler to rush and cause an accident. Falls from ladders, severe cuts from saws and caustic eye splashes are the most common injuries reported in emergency rooms nationwide.
Time Management
Most home improvement projects take longer than planned. A simple faucet replacement gets complicated when the connecting pipes won't come off smoothly or the water is not turned off properly and flooding ensues. Simple wallpaper removal turns into a nightmare when you discover two or three more layers of wallpaper underneath the top layer. Halfway through a job, you realize you don't have the right tools and enough materials to finish the job and need to make another home improvement store run. Build extra time into any job to avoid frustration and accidents caused from rushing. Plan to block off the area you're working on if you have to stop and continue at a later time.
Training
Before tackling a project for the first time, take a step back and find some training on the subject. Many local home improvement stores offer regular classes on DIY home remodeling and repair projects for free in hopes you will purchase the supplies there. Websites such as Good Housekeeping and Do It Yourself.com provide advice and tips on most every kind of home improvement project.
Supplies
While many people do their own repairs and remodeling for the joy and satisfaction of seeing their finished work, most everyone is pleased with the savings, too. To increase those savings, consider second-hand home improvement products. Look for supplies at salvage centers and re-use shops such as those run by Habitat for Humanity.
Tags: home improvement, home remodeling, accidents caused, Remodeling Repairs
