Remodeling Hell: home maintenance

Monday, May 4, 2015

Should you DIY or hire a pro?

By Jeanette Pavini

Should you tackle that home improvement or maintenance project yourself, or should you hire a professional?

It’s time for spring cleaning and home maintenance after a long hard winter, and time to get ready for summer. For some of us, it doesn’t matter whether it’s changing the fixtures or remodeling the bathroom. We call in the professionals. For others, home improvement and maintenance is a hobby or a necessity. Deciding whether to hire a professional or to do it yourself depends on the project and the most important question: what’s it going to cost?

HomeAdvisor.com, a local services home improvement marketplace, released its 2015 True Cost Guide Report, which gives some insights into cost comparisons and trend data surrounding home projects. The survey found that when homeowners hire out, they spend an average of $3,100 on home improvement project. At an average of $500, home maintenance projects come cost less, but more homeowners hiring out for this type of project.

The report also took a look at why people research projects costs. One-third do so to find out if they received a reasonable bid, a quarter search to help with budgeting, and 20% are researching to help them decide if they should do the project themselves.

They also found that millennials are more inclined to tackle a DIY project. Sixty-four-percent (more than any other age group) will attempt to complete the project themselves if they think hiring a professional is too expensive. Another reason people decide to DIY? Because price information isn’t available. Almost half of all homeowners will attempt a home improvement project on their own when they can’t find reliable cost information.

But cost isn’t the only factor that should determine whether you hire a pro or do it yourself. It’s important to realistically assess your abilities before tackling a project yourself. A fumbled attempt can cause costs to skyrocket if you have to hire a pro to come in to undo and redo your work.
The Internet can make DIY project looks a lot easier than they are. Start small. Instead of painting your entire house, start with one room and see if the time investment, skill required and results are worth it to you. Look for projects that you can reasonably complete in one day and with tools you already have on hand. Think very carefully before taking on a project that requires permits or messing with plumbing, electrical or the structure of your house.

If you do decide to hire a professional, the Federal Trade Commission suggests that you get several written estimates. Don’t automatically go with the lowest estimate. Ask for the reason behind the price difference. Find out how many projects similar to yours they have completed. Get a list of references, preferably from similar projects. Check their qualifications like licensing and insurance they carry. Find out if your project will require permits. Ask if they will be using subcontractors and if so you will want to check on the subs licensing and insurance coverage. Be sure to find out if they use subcontractors is there a fee that they tack on as the contractor. Many times you can save money if you get the estimate locked in as opposed to going with Time & Material rates.

From doing it yourself or hiring a contractor to avoiding home improvement scams, check out the tips and advice at the FTC website.

Save money but get the job done right. Do your research before you DIY.

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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

7 Home Improvement Apps to Help Your Inner Handyman

Whether you're remodeling your kitchen or just fixing a leaky faucet, keeping up with your house's basic maintenance is an essential part of home ownership. And with these helpful mobile apps in your tool-belt, you'll be able to tackle virtually any project without having to get your contractor's license.

Inspiration

7 Home Improvement Apps to Help Your Inner Handyman

You never know where you'll find the perfect color for your living room. But when the moment of inspiration strikes be sure you're ready for it. The free Colorsnap app (iOS, Android) from Sherwin-Williams can help by analyzing that perfect color, wherever you find it, and converting it into a matching, custom tint mix code for the company's paint brand.

All you have to do is take a picture of the color you like, tap on the hue you like best, and the system will return its "closest result". An image of my Navy Blue lighter shot under bright white indoor LED lighting for example, came back as "Quixotic Plum, SW 6265" which is close enough!

Planning

"Measure twice, cut once" is one of carpentry's most fundamental rules, up there with "no horsing around near the band saws." The same holds true for home improvement in general. Before you can start in on a project-whether re-tiling a bathroom, laying down new hardwood floors, or even painting a hallway-you've got to know exactly what the scope of the project is and how much materials you'll need.

The Handyman Calculator (Android) can assist you with the more complex math-from figuring square footage and stud spacing to unit conversion to asphalt volume, tile, paint, carpet, and linoleum coverage calculators, this app takes care of all of the heavy mental lifting. You just need to provide the correct measurements.

The iOS faithful should check out Home Improvement Calcs from Double Dog Studios ($2, iTunes) for similar functionality to the The Handyman Calculator, including more than 74,000 preset functions from mulch coverage to attic insulation volumetrics. It also includes enough helpful explanatory illustrations that you'll be able to BS your way through the lumber section of your Home Depot with ease.

Or better yet, avoid the hassle of going to the home improvement store altogether. Both the Home Depot and Lowes offer dedicated apps for both iOS and Android which allow you to shop, purchase and, most importantly, have delivered just about everything the two stores sell.

Ongoing

In addition to big renovation projects, a house requires regular maintenance and upkeep- especially the older it gets. To keep on top of the innumerable little duties that keep small problems from becoming big, expensive issues, check out House Maintenance Schedule ($2 freemium, Android). This calendar app helps schedule and remind you of upcoming maintenance projects, from flushing the water heater and inspecting fire extinguishers to changing HVAC filters and cleaning downspouts.

And if you find yourself stumped by a project, there are plenty of resources on the Internet to help you along. The Family Handyman DIY Tip Genius ($5 freemium, iOS) by Readers Digest is designed for both the iPhone and iPad and is packed with more than 300 (1,800 if you pony up $5) ideas and tips to keep you from bungling the job. For more ideas and tips be sure to also check out the regularly scheduled podcasts from Handy Guys and Money Pit Home Improvement. Now get out there and make Tim Taylor proud.