Everyone has been bitten by the DIY bug at least once in their lives. Some people DIY their style of clothes and others DIY certain recipes, but the biggest area that people tend to fall prey to DIY is home improvements.
It’s completely understandable why people give into the DIY craze, especially given the fact that popular TV shows make it look so easy and fun. Chip and Joanna Gaines have such a wonderful relationship on and off-screen that you feel you and your significant other can take on such projects and reap the same type of results… Unfortunately, what most people end up with is a home with expensive mistakes and less than satisfactory results.
So what is it about TV DIY projects vs real-life DIY projects?
Well, where should we begin… For one, there’s the experience and expertise that these television experts have but don’t sometimes let viewers know about. Some of these TV personalities have been in the construction industry for years, have been licensed for years, and overall just have the skills and knowledge that an average homeowner wanting to do renovations to their home, wouldn’t have.
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Determining Whether to DIY or Hire a Pro
Knowing when to take on a particular home renovation project and knowing when not to is actually a very important decision to take into consideration. Why? Because certain projects are the culprit to some of the most common, and in many cases, avoidable injuries.
When taking on home renovation projects, there are two big questions you need to ask yourself to help you determine whether or not it’s safe enough for you to do through completion.
- If you make a mistake during any stage of the project, will it cause bodily injury to you?
- If you make a mistake, or even forget a step, will it cause damage to your home?
If you’re considering a particular project, and answer yes to either of these questions, it’s not a safe project for you to take on and you should seek the services of a trained and experienced professional such as Safe and Sound Electric LLC for neat and safe electrical wiring.
Common Injuries Associated With DIY Home Renovation Projects
Falls
According to OSHA, falls are the number one cause of construction injuries, and it’s also the motivation behind its Fall Prevention Campaign. Of the falls, the most common results from ladders but can also come from tripping over items, not wearing proper shoes, or tripping over shoelaces. As a homeowner, anything involving the roof of your home, should not be attempted by you.
Cuts, Lacerations, and Scrapes
Cuts, lacerations, and scrapes can range from mild to severe, depending on the type of project you’re working on. Certain projects may require the use of a staple gun, nails, a saw, a box cutter, and other sharp objects. Mishandling of any of these tools can result in unwarranted injuries.
Shocks and Burns
Any projects involving electricity can result in the potential for getting shocked or burned. That reason alone is why, even with small projects, you want to make sure you’re wearing proper protective gear and not working with tools that can actually produce electricity.
These injuries range from minor to severe. Below, we’re going to look at home renovation projects that you should never do on your own. Depending on the state you live in, working on certain projects unlicensed can cost you in fines, on top of the dangers of not being properly educated in a particular trade.
If you’re serious about taking on major renovation projects, you need to invest in the proper education and training to gain the skills and knowledge required by your state. But until you receive that, these are the home renovations you should always hire a professional for.
Call the Pros For These Projects
Roofing
While you might think it’s nothing to grab your ladder, hop on the roof, and replace a few shingles, it indeed is. To be fair, for “seasoned” DIYers, replacing a few shingles may be a fairly easy task, but for novice DIYers, roof work can indeed be quite a daunting project.
There’s the risk of falling from the ladder to get on the roof, but then there’s also the risk of falling through the roof from standing on a weak spot, as well as slipping on a loose shingle. Your risk of injury will drastically decrease when you hire a professional. Plus, professionals have all the right tools and equipment, and will be able to complete the job much faster than a beginner DIYer.
Home elevator repairs
There’s limitations to what we can only do for our home. Big appliances and repairs at home should be left to the professionals such as home lift professionals. These people have certifications to guarantee that their job pass a level of quality and that they are knowledgeable about their issues you’re having.
Tree Removal
With summer quickly approaching, it’s not uncommon for homeowners to want to get out in the yard and do some landscaping. Planting trees, grass treatment, and updating the mailbox are all part of enhancing the curb appeal of a home. But for many homeowners, there’s a huge tree that gets in the way of everything, and they decide this is the year they’re going to cut it down…
Big mistake.
It’s one thing to cut down a small tree but large trees require professional tree removal services. What if you cut down a big tree and it falls on your house or your car, or worse, what if it falls on you! For one, people think that they can just go up to a tree and start cutting from the very bottom when that is indeed the absolute wrong way to go about it. There is a process to cutting down trees, and if you don’t know that process, you don’t need to do it.
Electrical
With home renovations that get into electrical work, this is not the equivalent of changing a light bulb or switching outlet plates. Any type of work involving electricity really needs to be done by a professional electrician in Menai. Now, there are some electrical projects that can be done without the need of an electrician like connecting existing wiring to a new light fixture, but when you get to the point of running wires and cables to new wires and cables, then it’s definitely something you should hire a professional electrician for.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to take on home renovation projects on your own. Starting a project and finishing it brings about a sense of pride as a homeowner because it truly shows that you know your home and how to take care of it. But with that sense of pride, there needs to be a sense of discernment as well.
Not all projects are created equal, nor is your level of skill or expertise, and with that, you need to express extreme caution when approaching them. Before starting any project, remember to always ask yourself if the work will cause harm to you or your home, and based on your answers to those questions, you’ll know whether you can take it on or not. Safety should always be first.
