Great Advice For Home Diy

Introduction

More and more people are tackling home DIY projects as they move into a new house or decide to stay in their current house due to the economy. Folks who have never wielded a paintbrush or hammered a nail are getting brave enough to handle their own remodeling and renovations. It's a challenge that many find they enjoy. Do-it-yourself projects account for hours of free time that would have otherwise been spent in unproductive, sedentary activities. The financial benefit of handling a project in-house instead of contracting it out to someone else has an impact on the homeowners' decision. Before jumping into a full schedule of home DIY projects, several tactics can help you achieve successful completion.

Step 1

Start with several simple home DIY projects before you jump into a massive task like remodeling the kitchen. If you have never put a new handle on a cupboard or installed a faucet, you may not be ready to tackle an entire space makeover. Select a few simple, but necessary, tasks to get the feel for how much time and which tools are involved. Painting a small closet or bathroom is a great way to learn about types of paint, brushes, edging and clean-up. Changing the front door knob to a more modern style gives good grounding in dealing with hardware and handling project-specific tools. The success of each small project will give you confidence to step up your game and solve larger home DIY projects. You'll soon learn how much time it really takes to plan a project, collect the supplies, and do the actual labor. You'll also discover what level DIY home projects can be accomplished all by yourself and which projects are best done if you have a second pair of hands and a helpful sidekick involved.

Step 2

Before you start a project, take a class at your local home and garden center. Most large retailers that specialize in home improvement materials and supplies offer short, targeted home DIY classes. These are typically conducted by experts who have years of experience doing similar projects themselves. A tile class, for example, taught by a professional who has been laying tile for many years, will teach you the basics. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions about your specific home DIY requirements. If you are unable to attend a class or workshop, look online for videos that show step-by-step instructions. A good training session or video will give you a list of the tools needed and instructions for calculating how much material you need to purchase. You will also get a feel for the amount of time each step takes, giving you an idea of how to set your schedule if a project is going to take several days for completion. 

Step 3

Invest in good, sturdy tools for your home DIY projects. While it's tempting to buy a cheap paintbrush for slapping color on a small wall, you may regret it when bristles fall out, get stuck in the wet paint and show up on the finished work. A solid electric drill and screwdriver belong in your collection of tools because those types of tools will be useful in a variety of applications. You can make the drill and screwdriver even more versatile with a collection of various-sized drill bits and screwdriver heads that should cover most home DIY project needs.

In some cases, you will want to rent the best equipment to do the job right. You may not want to spend the money for a tile saw when you're only doing the bathroom counter, but you can rent or lease one for a day to achieve the precision cuts that make the countertop look great when you're finished. 

Tips

Keep a record of your expenditures on home DIY projects. Some expenses may have impact on your taxes, and even if they don't, the history will give you a guideline for how much similar projects are going to cost in the future.

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