A Smart Do-It-Yourselfer Knows When To Get Help
Why does home improvement mean “do-it-all-yourself?” Lots of folks make that assumption, but it isn’t necessarily so - for several good reasons.
The best reason for not doing a job around the house is that you don’t want to. Why people pressure themselves into trying to repair or maintain or build something is beyond me.
Maybe they have a do-it-yourself reputation they want to uphold. Perhaps they’ve purchased so many tools they feel compelled to take on this work. Or maybe the do-it-yourselfer is trying to prove himself by doing every dirty little job.
In the words of a great English comedian: balderdash! Don’t let pride get in the way of common sense, especially when it comes to home improvement. Do you really think Bob Vila, Norm Abram or Steve Johnson - the old and new teams from “This Old House” - always do their own home improvement? In the first place, they wouldn’t have time. Running all over the country doing their TV thing doesn’t leave room for many projects.
In the second place, because I’ve interviewed Vila and Abram a few times, I can tell you they wouldn’t want to do every last job around their homes. Even though wacky Tim Allen of TV’s “Home Improvement” show makes it seem as if a do-it-yourselfer wants to tackle any job around the house, I’ve yet to meet any sane person who feels that way.
I hate plumbing. There are times when I say a little prayer thanking God for professional plumbers. That’s one reason I hire plumbers.
That brings up another reason to hire someone to do a job around the house. There are times when I know a professional almost certainly would do a better job than I. Some things around the house I want done well. If I think I can only do a fairly good job, I’ll hire someone.
A third reason for hiring someone to do a job is to educate yourself. Maybe it’s a job that’s likely to come up again. Sometimes, there’s only so much you can learn from books. Watching a professional tackle the job, perhaps even asking a few questions, could help prepare you for next time.
Don’t worry about taking jobs from the pros. They know that lots of people will screw up and call them anyway. Those pros probably will repair the original problem and problems created during the attempted repair.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t try to do things yourself. Not everyone can afford to hire help. And some jobs can be done by almost anyone.
Besides, you can get a real sense of satisfaction out of improving your home. Just don’t paint yourself into a corner psychologically by thinking you have to tackle everything. You’ll enjoy your home a lot more.