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DIY Costs: How not to break the bank

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It’s supposed to save you money. Choosing to complete that project yourself, apart from earning you a good pat on the back should always save you money. The idea of DIY is that you save money on the labour costs of hiring a professional. Sometimes, DIY costs can turn into a nightmare if you don’t keep a close eye on your spend. Here are expert tips on keeping DIY costs down on your way to your dream home.

Plan everything to the last detail

Planning your DIY projects poorly can make you lose track of the finer details, which will inevitably lead to you breaking your budget. Make sure you plan and research each part thoroughly before you jump in.

Understand and define exactly what the job is, what tools you need and honestly assess if you’re qualified to carry it out. It’s amazing how minor things you hadn’t thought of can creep up halfway through a project’s completion.

For example, do you need an entire toolbox, or should you simply borrow a screwdriver and a hacksaw which is all you’ll need?

Get professional advice early

It may be wise to get professional advice especially during the planning stage. The last thing you want is for you to run our of materials, or come across a problem you should be prepared for but aren’t.

A professional has the benefit of years of experience and should be able to plug potential loop holes in your plan. If you need to apply for planning permissions or other regulatory approvals from your local council, they will also advise on the necessary steps to take.

DIY Costs

Check the terms and conditions of your home insurance

Obviously, repairing the kids bedroom shouldn’t affect your insurance. But knocking down a wall to create more space or reinstalling a new bathroom yourself certainly will. Any jobs that require a change in the floor plan of your home would require a conversation with your insurers. Accidents can happen, you could hit a drainage pipe or cause a plumbing leak  that may not be covered by your insurer.

Some jobs aren’t DIY

We must emphasise that if a job requires rewiring electrics or working with gas or your boiler in anyway, it’s advisable not to take them on yourself. In fact, it may even be illegal to do so. You could seriously jeopardise your safety and the safety of those in your home if you make a gas or electrics related mistake. Research shows that Britons can spend up to £2,000 on average hiring professionals to fix botched DIY jobs. In the interest of safety and keeping DIY costs down, be careful.

Keep DIY Costs low by taking advantage of sales

Finally, with black Friday and Christmas offers coming up, DIY home and gardening stores are holding massive sales you can take advantage of. There’s no better way to keep DIY costs down than by taking advantage of sales. Even if you’re not ready to start your project, browse through the online and in store sales so you can purchase necessary materials and tools and put them away for later.

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