Do-It-Yourself or Call In A Pro?
Over the past years, the global Do-It-Yourself market showed spectacular growth and concentrated mainly in only eight countries: USA, Germany, Japan, Canada, the UK, France, Australia and Italy.
Growth during the pandemic
It is not altogether surprising that 2020 was a year of good growth because it was also the first full year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The resulting lockdowns gave homeowners the time to invest in home improvement projects, which in turn kept them both occupied and entertained.
Interestingly, the fact that more people have been – and still are – working from home due to the pandemic has helped to fuel this explosion in home improvement projects. These range from converting spare rooms into home offices, fitting office space into bedrooms or kitchens, and creating more integrated and flexible storage solutions. Wall and floor noise insulation projects also rose in importance, to create quieter environments for when adults and children need to live and work in the same space.
The benefits of DIY
The consequence is that more and more people discovered that not only can they execute DIY projects to a fair degree of quality and competence, but they enjoyed doing DIY jobs too. People of all ages and skill levels reported that doing DIY reduces stress levels; improves their mood; keeps them active; expands their minds by learning new skills and brings job satisfaction.
Some projects are best left to the Pros
However, the slick home improvement programs on TV and YouTube don’t always tell the full story. A survey from home improvement site ImproveNet among 2,000 American homeowners found that two out of three regretted doing at least one of their home improvement projects, and one in three reported they had to call in a pro to redo the job.
Simply put, some projects are best left to the professionals. For example, some DIY jobs, if performed incorrectly, can have disastrous results. If pipes are not properly plumbed, unseen leaks inside a wall could cause serious water damage leading to expensive later repairs. Flooring that is not perfectly level could cause serious accidents.
What about project management?
Another area – that is not covered greatly in “how-to” YouTube videos – is project management. Where many DIYers often fail, or at least struggle, is fully understanding the process that a job has to follow in order for it to be successful. Every job has some sub-tasks. If these are not completed in the right order, then the final result may not be optimal. Missing one of these small steps can lead to big problems later. The more smoothly and efficiently a project is managed, the more chance it has of staying on budget. A professional can not only do the job but can manage the whole project.
Do you have the proper tooling?
Another consideration when deciding on whether to do-it-yourself or call in a professional, is the matter of tools. DIY is often considered the cheaper option. However, this often doesn’t take into account the tools needed for a particular project, which can be costly. Of course, some tools can be repeatedly reused on future projects, which spreads the investment. But others may be used only once. Moreover, do you know how to use these tools safely? Do you have space to store them? What about maintenance? A professional contractor will have all the necessary tools ready and available instantly.
Just hire a Pro
Sometimes, hiring a professional is the best way to go. Here are five areas when it might be beneficial to ask for professional support:
- When a mistake could have serious consequences. Plumbing and electrical work, if not done properly, could lead to your home becoming unsafe. Fixing it could be expensive.
- When the project requires a permit. Again this is often the case with electrical or plumbing work, but can extend to structural and other major work. There’s a good reason why such jobs require a permit and should usually be done by a professional. They require specialized knowledge and often involve some degree of risk or danger.
- When the warranty depends on professional installation. For example, if you install certain products such as a hot water boiler, central heating system or home security system yourself, you might be taking those products out of warranty. If something goes wrong, you might be asked to provide evidence it was installed correctly by a professional.
- When an environmentally friendly solution is needed. For example, instead of trying to unblock a blocked drain with chemicals, a pro may have access to a mechanical drain unblocking tool that will do the job in an eco-friendly way.
- When you are concerned about the value of your home. Work that looks amateurish can often reduce the value of a house or apartment. Work carried out with a high level of professionalism can add value to a property.
To sum up, there are lots of jobs that are perfectly suitable for enthusiastic, moderately skilled Do-It-Yourselfers. But for many other tasks, for safety, security, peace of mind, and long-term savings, it makes sense to call in a professional.
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