I love watching the DIY Network, for the uninformed that's Do It Yourself. I could watch it for hours and get a few neat ideas of things to DIY, but most of all I like laughing at all the ridiculous things that people do. I'm not an electrician, nor am I a plumber, so I'll never try to replumb my bathroom or rewire my kitchen. It's important to know one's limitations, mainly because I don't want to fry myself or flood my house. I also happen to know many good contractors who can professionally do these things for me!
Before you DIY, consider this helpful TRICK. Time. Resale. Insurance. Cash. Knowledge. Do you have the time to do the project right? Think this one through realistically. However long you think this project is going to take, double it. DIY projects can be a pain in the-you-know-what and they always take longer than you expect.
If you do it yourself, is it going to effect the resale of your house later on? When you go to sell your home, do you think the buyer's inspector is going to call out any of those DIY projects as not being done correctly? Or what happens if you do an addition that needs permits and you don't know it at the time, so you fail to get the permit? That is probably going to cost you when it comes time to sell.
Insurance is one you may not think about, but what happens if you accidently flood your house while doing plumbing fixes or hurt yourself while trying to use a saw? You laugh now at the ridiculous nature of this, but it could happen!
Cash in the bank is not only necessary, but you're also going to need more than you think. Unexpected things come up in any project, just ask a contractor. If you're trying something for the first time, you're more likely to have unexpected things come up because it's all new to you. If you are going to take on a project yourself, allow for extra money in your budget to cover for the unexpected.
Last but not least, do you have the knowledge to actually do this project? I'm not a cabinet maker nor am I the best mathematician on the planet. I know enough to know that accuracy in measuring is paramount and you know what I would never DIY? Kitchen cabinets. I'd leave that to the professionals.
DIY can be an excellent way to save money. But make sure to evaluate the TRICKiness part of your project before you get started! If you do decide to take on that bathroom make over, think about donating that old bathroom vanity to Habitat for Humanity. It's a tax write off, you don't have to pay to trash it and it could help someone in need.
Now for a good laugh, check out these DIY fails of DIY gone wrong, oh so wrong!
