5 DIY Projects You Shouldn’t Try To Tackle
So you wanted to create cabinet drawers or maybe perhaps you want to retile the kitchen floor. You say to yourself that you can do it and you just cannot pay the extra buck for the help you “know” you do not need. The only problem is, you are wrong.
It is true that quite a lot of household repairs and upgrades can be done by a homeowner that is handy with a hammer. But there are still quite a lot of home changes that you should leave to the professionals.
Part of millennial thinking is a constant need for affirmation. We love to challenge ourselves, especially by doing something we are not used to. The first mistake, most of us make is believing that a 5 minute YouTube video is a sufficient alternative for years of professional experience. And I can’t blame you. These YouTube personalities do make everything look so easy at times.
Sure, there are some positive things that can come out from a failed DIY projects. It is all laughs and giggles when all you have done is whip a few wasted cash and all that you suffered is burning a finger or two, or a painful papercut. The real danger comes when the “millennial thinking” leads you to permanent injuries or even death.
When doing a DIY project, the odds are against you. A study at Stockholm University showed that about 78% of DIY projects end up being scrapped and 67% of those will have already done significant damage to the house. The study also mentioned that when accounting for the cost that a DIY project accumulates, about 75% of these projects would have been cheaper being done by a professional.
So which of these projects should you never do by yourself? Here are some examples.
1. Repainting Your Cabinets
How hard can it be? You know how to paint a wall. How hard can it be to paint something so much smaller like cabinet boxes? You would be surprised at how hard it can be. And it should not even be compared. When repainting your kitchen cabinets, you have to be wary that the cabinet is made up of several parts which are held together by moving hinges. Paint can easily get into these hinges and mess up the entire box.
Cabinets are also typically made of wood and you need to take care not to ruin the wood in such a way that would make removing the paint later an impossible task. Wood is often less consistent in texture and will prove a challenge to create an evenly painted surface on it.
It would do you better to just call a professional and let him do your cabinet repainting for you. Walls are easy enough to tackle, but big projects like painting your kitchen cabinets can be more than you bargained for.
2. Carpet Installation
A 2014 study from NYU showed that the first major refurbishment done by a homeowner to his/her house is to install carpets that span their entire bedroom and living room. Carpets are one of those inexpensive upgrades that will not cost an arm and a leg. And at the same time, these carpets are comfy and give your house a more homely feel.
When installing a carpet, homeowners often find out the hard way how tough it is to glue something evenly on the floor. And it gets a lot tougher when the floor itself is uneven. Carpets are deceptively heavy and fragile to tearing. A few inches off of the intended target could result in a tear and, not to mention, a lot of annoying wrinkles on the carpet. These wrinkles are hazards to foot traffic and are just eyesores.
Carpet installation yields many things to consider, like the type of carpet, the type of floor and many other factors. Additionally, it also means doing a lot of work. Imagine all the measuring, cutting, trimming and glueing that you are going to have to do. It is probably best to leave carpet installations to professionals.
3. Replacing the Ceiling
Of the major house modifications, this is probably the most dangerous. A house’s ceiling is typically 12 feet off the base. When climbing a ladder to reach the ceiling, falling from this height is enough to cause serious injury. And as you go higher, it also becomes more difficult to maintain balance.
According to recent statistics, at least a 100 people die in ladder related accidents in the US each year. Ladders are dangerous enough but at least it’s a tool you can use, but what about the spots in your house that are not ladder accessible. It would take a special kind of skill to successfully work on these parts of the ceiling.
While getting there is tough enough, this is just part of what you have to do when replacing the ceiling. Think of all the drywall and insulation that you have to simultaneously take care off. Bottomline is, ceiling replacement is tricky business and should be left to professionals.
4. Floor Tiles
Floor tile installation have come a long way. Back then, you had to carefully level each tile as you go to ensure that the tiles are even. Today, there are laser guides to make sure you are on the right track. However, this does not mean you should do this by yourself!
Aside from the mastery needed to use these relatively expensive pieces of equipment, floor tile installation in itself is a burden.
ImproveNet’s data ranks 32 common projects by regret levels. At the top of the list of what people regret most is installing floor tiles, followed by replacing the ceiling, refinishing hardwood floors, installing carpet, and finishing the basement; 40 percent of people who attempt a flooring DIY project regret it—may be a sign that jobs of this sort are best left to the pros. Click here to learn more.
RealSimple.com
Leave it to professionals to carefully cut, plot and install your tiles for you.
Final Word
Some DIY projects are fun. There is no debate there. But when you are doing something yourself, the fun part should be the barometer. When you start feeling that diving headfirst into a project will no longer be a happy ride, you should take a step back and ask yourself if the working on it by yourself is truly worth it. Let the professional handle it and maybe assemble some furniture else from some Swedish store or repaint a room.
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Everything You Need To Know About Refurbishing Wooden Floors