If you love redecorating your home, by far the most cost-effective way to see your interior design dreams become a reality is to do the work yourself. And if you develop your DIY skills, carrying out your own décor work can become a life-long hobby.
But even after years of DIY practice, there are some jobs that require a professional. Whether its for safety reasons or pure aesthetics, here are three jobs that you should call in the pros to do for you.
1. Fitting Carpets
Laying down carpets is hardly rocket science, right? Don’t you just unroll the carpeting, measure up your room, slice off the right size and stick the carpet down? In short, no. If you cut the carpet incorrectly, this is not a mistake that you can easily hide, especially if you need to add an extra piece of carpeting. A join will be visible, no matter how skilfully the carpet seam is accomplished. Some people might not mind a join in a carpet, but if you happen to be a perfectionist—as many DIY enthusiasts are—you may find yourself returning to the carpet warehouse to purchase an entire new carpet. While doing your own carpet laying may sound like a cost-effective option, a botched carpet job can end up costing more than you would have spent if you had hired a professional from the start.
2. Installing Lighting Solutions
Even if you have a basic knowledge of wiring and electrics, it’s still not a good idea to attempt to install lighting solutions on your own. A simple mistake while doing the job could be extremely dangerous, and if you don’t get it right, you could be putting your family at risk. While it can be tempting to rewire your living room to install the exciting new lighting fixtures you can’t wait to use, it’s well worth the money to hire a qualified electrician and have the work done safely. The added peace of mind is worth every cent.
3. Building
To an onlooker, the work that a builder does can look a bit like LEGO for grownups. That said, structural building work is an extremely skilled job, and can be fraught with challenges.
Most people would agree (at least in principle) that hiring a builder for your building work is the sensible thing to do, but you’d be amazed how many DIY enthusiasts can’t resist trying their hands at a little building when the need arises. Whether you’re building a new garden wall to improve your curb appeal or laying down a new brick path, it would be fool-hardy to attempt the work yourself.
Not only can DIY be a life-long hobby, but if you’re prepared to do much of your home improvement work yourself, you can save loads of money over the years. However, not every job should be attempted at home, especially when there are safety factors at play. Next time you’re tempted to try your hand at laying down some brickwork or wiring a lighting fixture, remember that these jobs are best left to the pros.
