5 Important Things To Know Before Undertaking a Big Home DIY Project
Not a single homeowner has found the original design of their dwelling to be perfect. As time progresses, every homeowner inevitably experiences the urge to make renovations. This may range from minor updates like replacing the kitchen floors to major transformations such as constructing an additional part of the house. This explains the popularity of DIY project tutorials on social platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.
One of the biggest dilemmas every homeowner faces when weighing the pros and cons of DIYing a project is whether to hire professional help for some parts or not. By fully DIYing the project, you will be able to cut down labor costs. If a report is to be believed, you will spend a quarter of what you would pay a professional by doing it yourself. Additionally, you will have complete control over the design aspect of the project.
Once you have decided to do it on your own, you need to plan the project for the best success. Here are the top 5 essential things to know before undertaking a big home DIY project.
Insurance Coverage
When undertaking a big home DIY project, getting caught up in the excitement of starting and finishing your project is easy. However, it is essential to remember that every task has potential risks. Whether you are working around power tools or on ladders and scaffolding, many things can go wrong during a project like this. With this in mind, you must know what homeowners insurance is. Also, knowing how much homeowners insurance you need to cover any mishap is critical.
Say you’re planning on renovating the kitchen in 24 hours without help from friends or family members. In this case, it might be wise to increase the coverage limits on your homeowners’ policy so that if something were to go awry during construction, there would be enough money for medical care.
Depending on how big or complicated your home improvement project is likely to be and what materials you’ll need, you may also want to increase deductibles. So that if something does go wrong during construction, there’s enough cash available for repairs and replacement costs before filing a claim against your policy.
Project Timeframe and Costs
One thing that you do not want is having a half-completed DIY project abandoned due to the lack of time. Therefore, before starting the DIY project, plan your schedule according to the estimated timeframe required for the project. Figure out if the project will take only a few days or continue for a few months to come.
This way, it will be easier to plan your time as well. However, if you are undertaking a project for the first time, it would be wiser to start small and gradually progress to more daunting tasks. Be realistic with the time you need and what it takes. Also, be dedicated to the project to see it through. Otherwise, you will end up with a half-completed project.
As for the costs, as mentioned before, DIY projects cost a quarter of what you would pay to hire a professional. It is best to do your diligence regarding the cost of supplies and raw materials. Take into account things like the cost of tools, permits, cost of extra help and disposal fees, among others.
After estimating the cost of the entire project, add another 10 or 20%. If this amount is considerably less than what you would spend for hiring a pro, then good. If not, consider bringing costs down by looking for used materials, finding better prices and more.
Skills and Tools
Now that we have estimated the timeframe required for the DIY project and the costs involved, let’s move on to the next deciding factor. Whether or not you have the skills and expertise necessary to see your DIY project through. Break down the project into tasks and analyze which of them you are comfortable doing yourself and which will require you to hire help.
The above step will also give you an idea of the tools and equipment you may need for the DIY project. You may not have the specialized equipment required for one or more tasks. Buying the equipment might be expensive as you may never need it again. Check if you can borrow the equipment from someone in your circle or rent it from the home improvement store in your locality.
Permits
You might be wondering why you need permits to work on your property. Fret not. Most countries do not require any special licenses to work on houses. However, it depends on what kind of DIY project it is and what type of work you seek to do.
Any work that requires significant renovation, like removing an entire wall, adding new features to the house like a deck or fence, or adding a whole new extension to the property, might require a permit. Additional work like deep plumbing may also need a permit and a licensed professional.
If your property is part of an HOA (homeowners association), you must check with the association first to obtain additional permissions, if required. Your best would be to check with the local building code office before starting the project.
Health and Safety
One of the most underrated concerns when undertaking any DIY project is the health and safety aspect of the project. While some projects might require heavy lifting and bending, others might involve harsh chemicals and other elements.
It would be wise to consider the health and safety-related concerns of the DIY project you plan to undertake. The smart move would be to take protective measures to safeguard your family members, pets, and yourself from any danger involved.
Conclusion
While it is possible to undertake most home projects yourself, we recommend getting some professional help if you are not experienced with that kind of work. Hiring a contractor might cost more in the short term, but it can make your project go more smoothly and save you money in the long run. However, if you choose to do a large project yourself, please remember all our budgeting, insurance, and safety tips. Follow the steps above to ensure that the DIY project is worth your invested time and expense.
