Published Date 11/8/2018
It’s not about bursting bubbles. Really. It’s about being realistic about DIY projects. HGTV shows make it look SO EASY that it’s not a stretch that watchers are tempted to ditch the idea of hiring a general contractor and tackling the job themselves.
In a recent Realtor.com article, writer Jamie Wiebe tells of a few myths when it comes to home improvement. First, demo is no cakewalk. Just because “demo day” is Chip Gaines’ favorite day won’t make it yours. Wall teardowns should mean handing the kids a sledgehammer or even doing it yourself. Thinking taking down drywall and 86ing 2 by 4s are all that is involved in creating an open floor plan is pure folly. Wiebe’s advice? “Set down the sledgehammer. Step away from the wall.”
Wiebe quotes a remodeling expert who assures the average homeowner that they tend to view remodeling too casually — more like a hobby than an expertise. "It's increasingly common to naively jump into a renovation, lacking the necessary level of respect for the task at hand," he says. So where do you go for help? He suggests buying The Visual Handbook of Building and Remodeling to help familiarize yourself with the lay of the land before diving in. Most real estate experts agree that it’s a matter of not only recognizing your own experience level, but also having the wisdom to know when to seek the help of an expert.
Another mistake? Thinking you can order everything online. “Assembling the materials for your DIY renovation from the couch can seem fun and easy, but think twice before you click ‘add to cart.” says Wiebe. “Whenever possible, it's better to buy materials in person. At a store, you can check quality (is that tile prone to cracking?) and make sure you're getting what you pay for.” She goes on to describe how it’s not uncommon to order cabinets and find the hardware is not included, the shelves are the wrong size, and the quality is not what it looked like in the photos. If you do purchase online, check your order repeatedly to ensure every piece you need is included and be sure to allow time for returns or exchanges.
Just because Jonathan Scott can paint around window trim without painter’s tape in place doesn’t mean everyone can. In fact, think about just how long that HGTV scene lasts. 15 seconds? Anyone can look accurate for that period of time. While it’s true that painting is one of the simplest DIY jobs, it’s not a reason to dispense with painter's tape. Where painting is concerned the prep is more important than the painting itself. Skipping painter’s tape is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. The only way to get sharp, clean lines is to use tape. Period.
Another assumption (ever hear that little saying about the word “assume?”) is that doing it yourself will save you a boatload of money — mostly labor costs. The reality is that it is rarely as inexpensive as you had imagined when you took on the task. Again, TV is to blame. Simply dash the idea that a whole house renovation can be done for $70K, like those in Fixer Upper. According to the article, unrealistically low budgets on HGTV shows mislead viewers into thinking that their remodeling efforts won't be very expensive. And rarely do they mention screw-ups. Again, if they do, they last that perfunctory 15 seconds of show time.
Time frames? Wake up. While the notion of the term DIY implies you can knock it out faster than a crew coming in and doing the work, even small projects can be a big deal, including numerous trips to the big box home improvement store. A DIY weekend can turn into a weeks-long endeavor, especially if you have a full-time job in between days wielding a hammer and nails.
Other warnings are offered, such as thinking you can cover up just about any mistake with a coat of paint, how messy these jobs can be and how hazardous they are despite keeping the kids and dog at your mom’s house. While a driveway dumpster can eliminate some of the pain, not everything can be thrown out a second story window, even with good aim.
No one is telling you not to do it yourself. They’re just saying DIY projects are no walk in the park. And while reality HGTV shows may offer a 45-minute (sans Home Depot and Lowes commercials) before-and-after dream, nothing quite prepares you for the real thing.
Source: Realtor, TBWS
All information furnished has been forwarded to you and is provided by thetbwsgroup only for informational purposes. Forecasting shall be considered as events which may be expected but not guaranteed. Neither the forwarding party and/or company nor thetbwsgroup assume any responsibility to any person who relies on information or forecasting contained in this report and disclaims all liability in respect to decisions or actions, or lack thereof based on any or all of the contents of this report.
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