Seattle Home Care and Repair: Honey Do . . . or Don’t?
If you own a home in the Seattle area, you surely have a “Honey Do” list of projects around the home waiting for your attention. And if you’re like most homeowners, that list keeps getting longer—instead of shorter. You should just grit your teeth and tackle that “Honey Do” list once and for all.
Or should you?
Maybe there are good reasons not to tackle some of those home-improvement projects. Let’s face it: Not all of us are the handyman type. Some of us just don’t enjoy taking on home-improvement projects. And beyond that, “improvement” may not be exactly the right word to describe the outcome of even our best efforts.
There are actually some good reasons not to do some home-improvement projects. Here are just a few:
You don’t have the right tools: Some projects simply require specialized tools. Attempting to fix something without having the right tools is a recipe for disaster. Not only will it take you longer, but the end result will be less than you hope for. But do you really want to go out and purchase a special tool you’ll only use once?
You don’t have the right skills: Even if you purchase a reciprocating saw or an impact drill—do you really know how to use it? Experimenting with a new tool in your living room may not be the best plan.
You don’t have the time: Maybe you can buy the equipment you need and learn how to use it. Do you have the time to do that and do the project? A skilled craftsman can probably do the job better—and faster than you can. And you won’t have to put up with the mess as long.
You don’t want to risk injury: Some home-improvement projects are pretty simple—and safe. Others may involve a bit of risk—particularly if ladders or power tools are involved. Unless you’re really comfortable in those situations, you may want to leave those tasks to someone who does them all the time (and who is insured if he or she is injured).
You can’t afford to do it yourself: This probably seems counter-intuitive. The main reason people do home-improvement projects themselves is to save money. Are you calculating the cost of purchasing tools to complete your task? What if you mess up (hey, you don’t do this for a living) and have to do it over? What’s the cost of that? And finally, what is your time worth?
If you enjoy home-improvement projects, are reasonably handy, and have the time to tackle them—have at it! But if any of the reasons above resonate with you—you may want to bring in a pro. If that describes you,
we’re here for you!