If you’re dying for a change of scene, you have two options: trying your hand at renovating or hiring a professional to do it for you. So how do you decide on which to do? Some renovation processes may look simple, and you may take it on as a DIY project only to find out that you do not have the appropriate skills and tools to make this cost effective. However, this is not to say that you should never go down that route. Here are 5 renovations that are completely possible to do on your own, without a professional’s guidance.
1. Painting Your Place
Though it might sound simple, don’t devalue the importance of a good paint job in making your house look picture perfect! The good news is, this is something you can do entirely on your own, or even make an activity of it with friends and family. David Kaity from Revolutionary Real Estate elaborates on this:
“The most obvious renovation activity that doesn’t require a professional is painting. The great thing about painting is that even if you don’t want to do it yourself, you can hire a handyman to do it all, or just the more difficult bits. Handymen charge a lot less than painters and many of them are just as good at painting, if not better.”
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2. Improvements To Your Front Yard & Garden
Cathy Morrissey, who owns an online training company that teaches people how to renovate houses on tiny budgets, offers her top idea on a renovation you can do on your own:
“Spending money on your front yard has been known to bring in upwards of $20,000, simply by making some simple and low cost improvements. Clean the paths and driveways with a gurney. Use paving paint to create a fresh and new look without spending much money. A good garden layout with a well maintained lawn will give potential buyers the best ‘first impression’ and it’s a known fact that people pay more for a job that’s well done.”
To learn more from Cathy, check out her two websites: The Reno Chick and The Renovation College or take a look at her Facebook page.
3. Simple Demolition Steps
Although it is highly unadvisable that you take on anything to do with plumbing or electrical systems without a professional, there are many steps in the demolition process that you should be capable of doing yourself. This is especially the case if you invest in your own tools and equipment, to ensure you are doing a good quality job.
This includes:
- pulling up flooring
- stripping off unwanted tiles
- sanding down walls
- peeling off wallpaper
- dismantling built-in furniture such as cabinets
If you are able to do a large percentage of the demolition on your own, the job will be near half-done before you have to hire a paid professional.
4. Mini Makeovers To One Room
If all you intend to do is make improvements to one room in your house, you are likely to be able to do a large amount of the renovations yourself. This is especially true for rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens, where there are a lot of aspects that are easy to replace or modify.
You will be able to resurface benchtops and laminate paint, and changing the flooring (depending on what type of flooring you currently have), is also an aspect of the renovation that you can have a large hand in. Shops nowadays house many different products that cater to DIY projects such as this, making the process of working on your flooring a lot less daunting. Check out your local hardware store and you might find options you didn’t even know you had.
5. Increase Your Street Appeal
Daniel Young from Binvested suggests how you can make your house look better at first glance. With just a few simple touches you can do all on your own:
“If it is a house you’re renovating, add a little planter box or some landscaping outside the front door so it adds to the street appeal for the valuer and potential buyers or renters. Alternate the colours of the boxes, get some simple timber framing if there is no planter box already and get some recycled concrete (cheaper than white pebbles but looks very similar)! Soon you’ll have yourself a simple but effective finishing touch!”
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With a few simple tips, the concept of doing simple renovations without requiring a professional becomes a lot more doable. Take it step by step, but also be reasonable about what you can safely and sensibly achieve on your own, with your level of skills and the tools that you have access to. Happy working!
