Some home renovation projects seem easy to do at first. You may feel confident that you have the skills to handle the project, and it will be cheaper to do it yourself. All too often, however, unforeseen difficulties can make even the simplest project more complicated (and expensive) than you ever thought it would be.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much for a renovation project to go wrong. In untrained and inexperienced hands, what contractors can do easily ends up taking much more time and work than it needs to. One slip of a saw or hammer can cut into a wall or pipe and cause more expense and more work than it would have cost to hire a professional in the first place. One wrong measurement can mean that materials must be bought twice, or that you will need to rip them out and start all over again when the work is nearly done.
Why DIY Often Isn’t
One reason it’s gotten more difficult to do your own home renovations is that technology keeps advancing. Renovations that used to be simple now have complex parts and procedures to follow. New rules about lead paint and other chemicals were set up to protect consumers and contractors from harmful exposure. These make installing new windows, sinks or other fixtures much more difficult. The permit process has also become more complex, but professionals are familiar with the process and can navigate it easily.
In the end, advances in technology have given us products that work better and are often more efficient to use, but may be more difficult to install initially. Home improvement professionals have been trained on all the ins and outs of these complex installations, and their experience allows them to complete your project quickly and with far fewer mistakes. Not only that, but if a costly or time-consuming mistake does occur, it is unlikely that the expense will be passed on to you because you have already agreed upon a price.
Professional Installation Can Save You Money
Hiring a professional to renovate your home is often thought to be more expensive than doing it yourself, but that may not always be the case. If you take a day (or week) off from your job to do a project yourself, how much is your time worth? And if you injure yourself, there are medical bills (and additional lost wages in some cases) that can also add to the cost of doing it yourself.
Professional installers can often get materials at a lower cost than you could get on your own, since they may have access to wholesale suppliers or contractor discounts. Another way installers can save you money is by buying the correct materials the first time, instead of the common DIY practice of buying the wrong thing, trying to use it, then having to go back and buy a second item that will actually work.
Sure, there may be simple projects you can do around your home with confidence and efficiency, but for many renovations, professional installation is the best way to avoid a DIY nightmare. The professionals at Moonworks will give you an estimate for your installation so you can avoid a DIY nightmare. Call 1-800-975-6666 to talk to a Moonworks professional.