Dodge the Top 4 Do-It-Yourself Disasters

TV makes it look so easy. A quick flit around the DIY store, a weekend of creative labout, and presto! home improvement!

“With the increase in DIY channels offering 24-hour home improvement suggestions, more and more people are tackling home repair and improvement projects, says Christopher Frey, the Master Carpenter of 451 Press. “The rising cost of hiring expert professionals is also making more people turn to their local home improvement stores for a quick fix.”

Doing it yourself is admirable, and satisfying. To help you make your the renovation experience a happy one, Christopher has identified the Top 4 Do-It-Yourself Mistakes — in the areas of Time, Budget, Tools, and Project Scope.

I know it’s tempting… you’re in the local home improvement store picking up trash bags and batteries and you see that great wood floor you’ve always wanted… and it’s on sale. Last week, on TV, you saw two people install it in two days. Its Friday night… you say, “Great! Let’s get it!”Slow down, go home, and look at the scope of the project. Create a plan of attack. What has to be moved? Who’ll watch the kids? Do I have all the tools I need? What’s really involved in installation?

True, there’s no substitute for knowledge, skill, and quality materials. Television shows and magazine articles should serve as guidelines and concept resources — creative inspiration — and not relied upon as a substitute for detailed instruction.

As our Master Carpenter points out, there’s a good reason why the fastest growing professional contractor specialty is Homeowner Rescuers — those contractors who specialize in fixing all those expensive mistakes in renovation and construction.