The easiest way to reduce the cost of homeownership is to cut down on hiring people to perform repair or installation tasks that you can do yourself. Also, there is nothing more satisfying than the sight of a job well done.
However, there are things to consider before you embark on a DIY project. You need to ensure the project is not too technical and that you have the right equipment for the installations. Here are a few projects you can save money by doing them yourself.
Painting
Have you painted a bathroom, kitchen, or living room before? If you have, you know that it is not as easy as it seems. You need to do a lot of preparations before painting if you want to get good results.
You need to choose the colors that you want and mix them in the right blend. You then need to prepare the rooms by removing all furniture and taping all borders, so the paint doesn’t spill to undesired areas.
Ensure the walls are scrubbed of any debris before you commence. Do the undercoat and then the final coat. Repeat the final coat to get solid and flawless coverage. Do all this with plenty of light to make sure you don’t miss a spot.
There are several tutorials on the internet where you can get tips on how to mix colors and paint better. However, if you feel you will fall short of good results, hire a professional to avoid unnecessary expenses by repainting the room.
Light and Electrical Appliance Fixtures
You do not need to be an electrician to replace a light bulb. Similarly, malfunctioning sockets, bulb holders, and extension cords are not difficult to fix. However, people spend money hiring electricians to fix them.
With sufficient precaution, minor electrical installations and repairs should be DIY projects. Ensure you turn off the main switch before opening any socket or bulb holder. Replace the broken one with the new one according to the way the connections were set.
You can also install other appliances like ceiling fans and water heaters yourself, but, they need more procedural methods. The good thing is that user manuals accompany most appliances. You need to get handy-man tools from any industrial equipment supply shop to make these installations.
Light Plumbing
Plumbers charge top dollar for their labor. Most of the time, the plumbing duties are not beyond your capabilities. The only difference between you and them is that they have the right tools.
Therefore, if you invest in the right tools, you may never have to call a plumber for minor duties anymore. The plumbing duties you can do yourself include replacing showerheads, faucets, sealing tub drains, unclogging drain lines, and fixing running toilets.
Computer Upgrade and Repairs
Most times, when computers have problems, we rush them to the repair shop immediately without trying to find out what the problem could be. Half of these times, they only need a software upgrade or a minor hardware change.
Nowadays, there are several online resources like tutorials, forums, and IT websites where you can get solutions for simple computer problems. Therefore, thoroughly research your computer problem before you take your computer shop and you might save money.
Landscaping
Another home project you can do yourself if you have some time on your hands is landscaping. Instead of hiring a gardener, you can mow your lawn, trim the hedges, plant, and water your flowers with ease.
However, professional landscapers may have gardening tools that you do not have. Therefore ensure you buy or hire the tools you will need for your landscaping to get the desired results.
Changing Your Car Oil
There are simple things that every car owner should know. For example, you need to be able to change your vehicle tire in case you get a burst while on the road. The same goes for changing your car oil.
You remove the bolt at the bottom of your oil pan to drain the oil. Remove the old oil filter and replace it with a new one. Fill the new filter with fresh oil and screw it into the vehicle. You can check the oil level using the dipstick.
These are a few of the things you can do yourself at home and save some money along the way. However, you need to ensure you have the right tools, and the tools are in the right condition to perform the repair or installations you want to make.
