Saturday, August 18, 2012

DIY Basement Renovation

Author: Greg Escott
A basement renovation project can be undertaken by handy homeowners who don't mind a few mind puzzles and a little manual labour. Not all projects that you have around the home will need to be done by a professional, but you should be aware that you should only undertake projects in spaces where the job will look well done even if it is not...
done by a professional.

DIY Basement Renovation Ideas
When considering a do it yourself project, one of the first questions to ask is whether or not you will save by doing the basement renovation yourself. If too many mistakes will be made and repairs will be necessary later on to cover up your errors, the costs can quickly mount.
  • What are your home improvement skills like? It is important to accurately estimate how well you can perform the job and what the likelihood of causing expensive damage to your home might be
  • Can you practice on a small area before committing to an entire project? Tiling scraps of wood, painting old siding behind the garage with a special technique you are thinking of applying and anything else that can be done on a small practice area first will give you a good idea of the scope of the project and whether or not you can commit to the full renovation
  • Buying materials is something that contractors do on a regular basis and because of this, they often receive deals on materials that you probably will not. This can add up to quite a lot of money over the duration of your basement remodelling project.
  • Do you have the proper tools to complete the job? Rentals are possible, but if it is a renovation project that will take awhile, it will be cheaper to buy. Also include this in the estimation for hiring a contractor to do the work for you
Even if you do not want to commit to an entire basement renovation project, there is a good chance that you can do some of the work yourself if you want to save some money. Keep in mind that a contractor will need a suitable structure to work with, otherwise they will need to repair your original work before continuing with the job you are hiring them for.
Your basement remodelling project will probably include some drywall work and this is something that can be accomplished by the DIY type. If you decide to drywall your basement yourself, chances are very good that you will notice some flaws such as screw holes, seams, or problems with painting. If you can, start with a room that is not often used for living space such as a shed, garage or storage room. This will help you work out your technique and it is a good primer for whether or not you are actually prepared to drywall a larger space. It can be a messy job and take longer than you think, but with some hard work and patience, you can also save yourself some money by drywalling your basement yourself.
Other tasks such as electrical work and plumbing should be undertaken by a professional for your safety and the complexity of the job. Some minor plumbing is possible, but if you are adding new features that require a significant amount of work, chances are good that you will save both time and money by hiring a professional. The same is true for electrical work. If you are unsure and do not know how to work with electricity, it is simply not worth the savings to attempt such a thing on your own with the inherent risks to life and property.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/diy-basement-renovation-3345900.html
About the Author
Greg Escott is an owner of ContractorQuotes.ca
Helping homeowners get the resources that they need for successful home renovations is the focus of Greg's work. He is also working for contractors and to provide them with a quality service to successfully promote their companies online.
Greg lives on the west coast of Canada and has an active outdoor lifestyle when not in the office.

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