Are Do-It-Yourself Home Improvements For You?

December 28, 2011

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After years of staring at the 1960’s wall paper in your bedroom or decades of dealing with cracked, peeling linoleum in the kitchen, you have decided it is time for a few updates around the home you have grown to love.  Unfortunately the current state of the economy has made renovating and updating something of a luxury, making do-it-yourself home improvement projects very tempting.  Yes, doing it yourself can save you money…sometimes, but before you start ripping down wallpaper, tearing down cabinets and pulling out fixtures, Pro Built Construction, a longtime Maryland home improvement company, would like you to consider two very important variables before you begin any do-it-yourself home improvement project.

How Skilled Are You?

Some home improvement projects are certainly easier than others, for example, painting a room, piece of cake, right, but kitchen or bathroom remodels, depending on the extent of the update, require knowledge of the following:

• Demolition

• Finish carpentry

• Plumbing

• Electrical

• Interior design

Think for a moment, do you have all of the skills required?  Do you have some?  Plumbing and electrical work, if not done properly, can create safety issues, so maybe in some instances a combined effort would be best between you and a professional.  If you bite off more than you can chew with any home improvement project, you could end up costing yourself more money in the long run, when you have to hire a professional to help you pick up the pieces.

Do You Have The Time?

Before you begin any project, consider how much time do you realistically have to devote to completing this project and how much time are you willing to allow potential chaos in your home?  If you are considering tackling a kitchen or bathroom remodel on your own, it could potentially take months working only nights and weekends, but even projects, which would normally be considered simple, take time as well.  Consider this:

• You want to update the walls in a small bedroom of your older home.  Currently there are 2 layers of wallpaper, which must be removed: Plan on 4 to 5 hours to remove both layers properly

• Once the paper is gone, you notice cracks in the corners of the room and you caused gauged a few spots removing the paper: Plan on 2 to 4 hours for mudding and sanding depending on the depth of the cracks

• Ready for paint? Not just yet: Plan on 2 to 4 hours to prime your nice, smooth walls

• Now you are ready for paint: Plan on 4 to 6 hours to paint, which should include the detail work and trim

• Total time: 12 to 19 hours

Do you have that kind of time?  For most busy homeowners in Maryland, the answer is no.  

So to “do-it-yourself” or “not to do-it-yourself”, that is the question.  If you decide that you are not ready to tackle projects around your home on your own, Pro Built Construction is ready to help!  We offer numerous MD home improvement services to help you get your home improvement project done, quickly and affordably.  For more information on any of the home improvement services offered from ProBuilt, please contact our Maryland carpenters today!

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