HOME REPAIR: DIY OR CALL A RENOVATION CONTRACTOR
I don’t know about you, but I am that type of person who likes to do house repairs and renovations on my own, even when I’m not cut out for it. Nowadays, many people feel incompetent or simply reluctant to take even the slightest action to fix something inside their house. This may be because it has become a custom, or even a trend, to call a renovation contractor to fix whatever is broken. However, sometimes, all we need is to watch a simple YouTube tutorial, think a little bit, and we’ll be able to fix it in no time. Many home repairs can be done without hiring anyone to needlessly take away your money. On the other hand, some repairs do require a professional’s hand and we shouldn’t handle them on our own. So, the million dollar question is: How to tell the difference and where do we draw the line?
Furniture
Most of these can be done by an amateur. Most furniture repairs include tightening some screws or adding a few new ones. Sometimes you’ll need to glue something together, pierce a hole or meld certain metal parts. If you have the proper equipment, there’s no reason for hiring anyone else to do it.
Windows
This is a bit trickier, but in some cases, you can handle it without any help. If your window has been broken, safely remove the remaining glass, and then blow-dry the putty so you can clean the area more easily. When it comes to the kind of glass you need to buy, you can get all the necessary information in a store or online. After that, apply a new layer of putty and gently place the new glass into the frame. You’d need to call a professional only if you live several stories up because, in this case, there’s a serious risk of falling.
Plumbing
This falls under one of the grossest sections of house repairs, but it’s usually quite simple. When there’s a clog, don’t rush to the phone to call a plumber, try a few tricks first. There are many recipes online for taking care of clogs. They usually involve pouring some kind of liquid into the drain in order to make it functional again. In extreme cases, there is a tool called a snake that can help navigate the pipes to clear the clog. Of course, if none of your attempts work, you’ll need to call a professional plumber in North Vancouver.
Electricity
Handling electricity issues yourself is one of the most dangerous things you can do when it comes to house repairs. Many jobs involving electricity require special permits. Plus, the risk of being shocked or burning down the whole house is too high for you to play games since not all houses have the same wiring, especially the old ones. In this case, it is strongly advised that you hire a professional. Find a fully qualified electrician in Blacktown.
Walls
Wall-related issues can be exhausting, yet they usually can be done without any professional help. Removing and reattaching wallpapers or whitewashing can be very physically demanding, but it’s not really that difficult. You just need do it neatly enough so it would look good. There are numerous internet tutorials on these topics, so buy the right equipment and take all the advice you can get, as this is also a very messy job. You’d need to move all your furniture, protect it from anything that might stain it, clean up the whole mess multiple times and eventually move everything back the way it was. It’s quite tiring and also very tangible work. This is why many people opt for hiring a professional renovation contractor.
Basically, most house repairs can be done independently and the boundary between the ones you can do on your own and the ones that require a professional is quite vague and not the same for everyone. Of course, some people have more knowledge and experience and can handle more serious repairs, while others lack both knowledge and experience, and sometimes even the proper tools. In that case, it’s better to leave it to the pros than to regret it later.