Have you ever done a remodeling job around your house? Whether something needs to be fixed or you just want a different style, remodeling can give your house a fresh, new look. Some remodels are relatively easy, like applying a new coat of paint. Others can be a bit more complicated. Making improvements to a house can get a bit expensive, especially if you hire a professional. You might be tempted to try to save time and money by doing things yourself. However, some projects must be done with great care, or you risk creating more problems and work for yourself, or a professional, in future repairs. Here are a few projects that you might not want to try on your own. At the very least, please do your research before embarking upon such an endeavor.
Electrical Work
If you don’t know what you are doing, sometimes it’s better to not try to jury-rig something. Take the installation of this guy’s garage door openers for example. The wires aren’t really attached anywhere. They just drape down, loop through rafters, then connect to a surge protector. The surge protector isn’t grounded, just spliced into another cord. It continues like that out the door, along the fence to the house, and finally connects to a light bulb socket and switch. Electricity is not this guy’s friend.
Electricity and water don’t mix. Electricity and gas don’t mix either. Please don’t be like the people in this video. One put the electric breaker box inside of the shower. Another guy placed a motion light in his. How about the guy who had a gas line by his fuse box? Don’t leave bare wires exposed. Duct tape may work for most things, but it is probably not the best choice for a breaker box. Make sure that you don’t overload your circuits. That’s just asking for trouble.
Outside Work
When working on an outdoor remodeling project, remember to keep safety in mind, particularly when your work requires the use of a ladder. If working on the roof, make sure materials are steady and not rotting away so that you don’t fall through or off the roof or bring the roof down on top of you. Be aware of everything going on around you; one clumsy moment can become a hazard when you’re working with tools.
Staircases
If your remodeling project involves putting in staircases, make sure you can actually use the stairs. Don’t make the mistake these people did and block the stairway with another structure such as a door or another set of stairs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasrstegelmann/2731846156/
Bathroom Remodels
When remodeling a bathroom, make sure you consider space and placement of fixtures. Properly install accessories such as soap dispensers over the sink so that you don’t end up with a mess all over the floor.
Plumbing
For plumbing projects, make sure to properly install pipes and fixtures. Don’t use wrenches to hold pieces together or in place of faucet handles. And don’t connect water to exhaust fan vents. You don’t want steam going everywhere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWxn1hReKF0&feature=related
When it comes to remodeling, play it safe, and do it right the first time. If you don’t know how to do something (like plumbing or electrical work), then it is probably better to leave those tasks to the professionals.
Attached Images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
Chris Turberville-Tully works with Purely Shutters, providing a variety of interior shutter shapes and sizes including solid and louvered styles.