Ask before the DIY is cast

Think you’re ready to tackle a home-improvement project yourself? Deciding whether you’re up to the challenge or whether you should hire a professional can be tricky.

Doing a home renovation yourself can help save money as home improvement spending increases nationwide. From February 2016 to February 2017, U.S. homeowners shelled out an average of $5,157 on home projects -- an increase of $1,869 over the previous 12 months, HomeAdvisor’s 2017 True Cost Survey found.

Too, “the feeling of accomplishment you get from doing something with your own two hands is priceless,” says Craig Webb, editor in chief at Remodeling magazine, adding that DIY home improvements are a great way to learn how your house functions.

But some renovations are better left to professionals, says Mark Clement, co-founder at MyFixItUpLife (myfixituplife.com), a resource for DIY home remodeling. Home-improvement TV shows have distorted how many homeowners view renovation projects, Clement says.

“A lot of these TV shows tend to oversimplify things,” he says. “They make complicated projects look easier and less expensive.”

So what’s the best way to decide whether to do your next home improvement yourself? As Angie Hicks of Angie’s List puts it: “You have to determine whether you have the talent, the time and tools to do the job.”

Every year more than 500,000 people are treated for ladder-related injuries in the United States, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Clement recommends caution when sizing up a project requiring a ladder, such as repairing damaged shingles or replacing a second-story window.

Similarly, home projects that require you to handle harsh chemicals can pose health risks, says Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing at Houzz, a home remodeling and design website, so make sure you know what products you’re dealing with in advance.

And renovations that involve plumbing or electrical work are typically better suited for a licensed contractor. “If you’re doing something that could cause the house to flood or something that puts you at risk of being electrocuted, err on the side of caution,” Webb says.

Labor costs can add up when using a professional contractor. “As a general rule of thumb, about one-third of what you’re paying for are the materials, and the other two-thirds are for the skills of the remodeler and their time,” Webb says.

Therefore, consider how much you value your time. “If a plumber charges $75 an hour, is your time worth $75 an hour?” Webb says. You can use a website like HomeAdvisor, Angie’s List or Fixr to get an estimate of hourly rates for professional contractors in your area, as well as prices of supplies.

Compare how much it would cost for you to hire a professional to what you’d spend if you do the work yourself. The easiest way to do this is to get a quote from a professional contractor for the project and to ask the company to separate the costs of materials from the labor costs. Factor in equipment costs if you must buy or rent tools.

Be honest with yourself about your skills. “It’s easy to get in over your head,” Hicks says. Depending on the project, “if you screw up, you can do serious damage to your house.” Check whether you know how to use the tools you’ll need.

If you don’t have a lot of experience, start small and work your way up to bigger renovations. “Painting a room is a great first DIY project,” Webb says. “If you make a mistake, you can always paint over it.”

You should be able to map out the project step by step; this is where online videos can come in handy. Home-improvement experts such as Ron Hazelton, Bob Vila and Mr. Fix It have how-to videos on YouTube for many renovations. Pro tip: “Watch the video from start to finish to see what the scope of the job is,” Webb says.

Online remodeling experts sometimes oversimplify projects, Clement says, so be skeptical of videos touting unrealistic promises such as “Build your new kitchen in a day!” or “Finish your basement for only $5,000!”

If you plan to alter the bones of your house -- say, by adding a deck or knocking down a wall to create an open floor plan -- you may need a building permit before beginning the work, Hicks says. As of November, single-family building permits were being authorized at a rate of 862,000 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s monthly New Residential Construction report.

It may make sense to use a professional contractor who can help you navigate the often complicated application process. Or you can pay a building permit expediter to help you file the paperwork.

Is the project a one-person job? If not, decide whether you feel comfortable asking friends to help you -- but keep in mind that you need people who know what they’re doing, because any mistakes they make can cost you money.

By Daniel Bortz,

The Washington Post, WP Bloomberg