Doing it yourself (DIY) can be fun and profitable. But there are some times when a DIY project can go seriously wrong, costing you time and money. We’ll go through the seven most common DIY mistakes that most people make. This way, you can be sure to avoid making these mistakes yourself.
Let’s start with the first mistake.
One of the most common DIY mistakes, in fact, I am putting this down as number 1, is overestimating your skills for the project. I see this time and time again. People with little or no experience think they can do a great job based on a set of instructions. While challenging your self and stretching your skills can be a great benefit of DIY projects, you should have a good understanding of the basic concepts involved in your project, as will as the basic skills to complete them.
In some cases, hiring a contractor or laborer and then working alongside him or her is a better solution that will balance out your need to do it yourself and your need to have it done correctly. Or ask your contractor if he or she doesn’t mind you observing and asking questions. Just don’t be a pest or you’ll not only annoy your workers but also pay more because it will take them longer to complete the job.
Some of the common projects that I have seen turn wrong through DIY include cutting molding (commonly, the molding is cut at the wrong angle or in a wrong size) and installing flooring.
When you do it yourself and overestimate your skills, you may end up with a job that has to be redone at an additional expense. And if you choose to leave things the way they are, be aware that this may affect your home’s resale value. Buyers can tell when things are sloppy, don’t fit, or lack professional detail.
Next up: We’ll conquer the next common DIY mistake.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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