Hello again! This week marks the third week of our Your Questions Answered blog series. Through this series, (which we affectionately like to think of as our own twist on ‘Dear Abby’) we hope to debunk some of the most perplexing questions about the real estate process.
Today, our agent Jess will be giving a list of projects around the house we think you can accomplish yourself, and which ones we recommend you hire some help. So, without further adieu…
“My (*insert room of the house here*) needs some serious help! Should I (*insert fix-it project here*) myself or hire a pro?”
If you are a fast learner, a direction reader, know your way around a toolbox and fancy yourself a DIYer…..then keep reading! If you don’t own a screwdriver, have never spoken the words “shut off valve” and have your resident handyman on speed dial…..then you may want to skip to another one of our posts. 🙂
Owning your own home is great but it does come with the occasional need for repair(s). Below are our thoughts on when you should hire a handyman or when to tackle a project yourself!
- Plumbing (HANDYMAN) – Do you want to move your laundry room from the basement to the first floor? Are you wondering what that strange smell from the bathroom sink is? Do you hate your current kitchen faucet? We suggest hiring a pro for all of your plumbing needs….from the small problems like smells (which could be from the lack of an s-trap under your sink – not sure what an s-trap is?….this is exactly why you need a pro) to the big problems like a major leak or moving pipes around in your remodel.
Flooring (HOMEOWNER/HANDYMAN) – Did you buy a house with vinyl flooring from 1984 or do you have hardwoods that have been wrecked by the three dogs that previously lived there? Flooring is one of those things that can go either way and there are several new flooring products on the market that make it easy for a confident DIYer to conquer. We think a homeowner could handle flooring updates like: tiling; engineered hardwoods; and glue-less laminate. Flooring we suggest hiring someone for: staining concrete, new hardwoods, redoing existing hardwoods and vinyl (and yes, stores still sell vinyl and some people still use it!).
- Electrical (HANDYMAN) – We strongly suggest hiring a professional for all your electrical needs (except maybe changing out your cover plates). Working with live wires……leave it to the pro!
- Cosmetic Updates (HOMEOWNER)– Do you hate the fire engine red in your dining room? Is your kitchen cabinet hardware nautical-themed? Do the curtains that came with the house give you a 1972-church-parlor vibe? Then we say change it up and do it yourself! Home projects that are cosmetic in nature can usually be done by the average handyman homeowner: interior painting; switching out cabinet hardware in kitchens/bathrooms; updating window treatments; giving your deck a fresh coat of stain; minor landscaping, etc.
Wondering if your household need is a project you should tackle yourself or hire a pro for? We are more than happy to give you guidance on this! Contact us today and we’ll give you our honest advice. And if your project does indeed call for the professional help of a handyman, be sure to check out our list of trusted and recommend vendors that either we or our clients have hired in the past.
Thanks for tuning in to our “Your (Real Estate) Questions Answered“ blog series! | Last week: Tips for 1st Time Home Buyers | Next week: Home Inspection: Friend or Foe? | Want to stay connected? Like us on Facebook + follow us on Twitter and Instagram. And, as always, check out our current homes for sale in the Nashville area.
Written on
I usually hire professionals to do the work for me but since i had extra time from work, I decided to everything on my own. It can be a good form of exercise anyway. This blog can really help. Thanks for posting.