So, you and the family decided that you’re ready to buy a home. You scoured the market, you endured some less than savoury tours, and you think you landed the perfect property. But here’s the thing… you may have been relying on your rose coloured glasses a wee bit too much. Some corners were definitely cut in the initial building of the home, and now you’re looking at a few DIY projects. Not to fear, Hire A Hubby readers! Our friends at VIC Underpinners have agreed to be our partners-in-crime on today’s post, and demystify some of the most common home renovation mishaps that we’ve seen. With their knowledge of all things foundation and home building and our expertise in caring for homes above the ground, you can rest assured that you’re in safe hands. Read on to determine when it makes sense to call in the experts…
“I cut into structural components and a wall fell down” Well you’re quite lucky that it was just a wall! Hire A Hubby advocates against any DIY projects that involve structural components. The weight of your home is equally distributed from roof, down the walls, through the floor, to the foundation. Each of these elements are like teammates that talk to each other. When you mess with one, you mess with all, and you can quickly weaken the home. In these types of scenarios, we highly recommend that you engage a Structural Engineer or other professional, to help get this work done.
“I tried to channel my inner electrician and almost burned the house down” There’s a lesson quickly learned here. There is a reason that electricians go through extensive training before they’re certified to work in the field. There are many things that can go wrong, when you’re working with wiring, including mixing aluminium and copper wiring. Fun fact for the day? This causes oxidisation and failure. So give your local electrician a call, you’ll be glad that you did.
“I swear I bought the right amount of ply board for my backyard deck… I have no idea why it splintered in the middle like that…” Let’s just hope that this didn’t happen during one of your famous summer garden parties. Many of the most common DIY mistakes that professionals see are when folks get excited and don’t plan properly. This means taking the time to check all measurements. This also means that you can’t rush through installation… it’s just not worth it. Not only will you have wasted time, you’ll likely have wasted materials as well. So when in doubt, breathe and then call an expert.
“They said asbestos removal would be easy…” No, no they didn’t. No questions about this one – asbestos removal should always be left to professionals. You can actually break local rules by attempting to do it yourself. There are also health repercussions if you expose yourself for too long. When it comes to your health, Hire a Hubby and VIC are in agreement, it’s never worth it to take a chance.
Hopefully, we’ve shed a little light on the projects that you should leave to the pros. Looking for more information about reinforcing your foundation, so that your home is safe and sound? Be sure to check out the VIC Underpinners site.
