Do You Qualify for Do-It-Yourself-ing?

The Impatience Disqualifier

If you (or your mate) couldn't bear (or will become unbearable) at the messy reality of living in a dismantled kitchen for weeks (months?) on-end because you can only work on it during the weekend, Doing-It-Yourself (DIY, for short) may not be for you. Under the best of circumstances remodeling can wreak domestic havoc. Few of us have saints for family members. NOT doing-it-yourself could be an act of true kindness to yourself and your family.

Highway to the Danger Zone

Desk-jockeys who daydream about being Power-Tool-Pilots beware! Do-it-yourself jobs can be extremely dangerous. Can you picture yourself lying in cardiac arrest on the basement floor under the electrical panel, while your mate tries to recall how to administer CPR? Electrical work should be left to the pros. Roof repairs, too, depending on the pitch of your roof. A little sanity will go a long way when deciding what you CAN or simply shouldn't try to do yourself.

Plenty of Patience Plus Latent Talent?

Some of you may be more talented than you realized. If you are dedicated, patient and do not have a tendency to drop things or run into walls, you may be able to do many home improvement projects yourself. If you enter into the learning experience with the conservative assumption that most home improvement projects require hard work - and, worse, often take longer than anyone originally anticipated, you'll be thinking clearly. We recommend that you start slowly, on small projects.

Tip

Good tools are an expensive investment, too. Allow for them in your Budgeting process.

Cost Effective Cosmetic Changes...

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