If you have recently moved into your first home, you may be faced with the task of tackling your first home improvement project. Depending on what your expert level is in home improvement projects, it may be a daunting task that leaves you confused on where to start. Parry Custom Homes, a premier Pittsburgh on your lot builder, shares tips on where to start on your first home improvement project.
The first thing you will want to do is prioritize your DIY or home improvement task list. Take inventory of the projects you would like to see done around your home and separate them out into tasks you can do yourself and tasks you will need to hire a pro to do.
Next, decide what projects are the most important to get done. The tasks that are the most important might not be the ones that are most exciting, but it is best to just get the ones you need completed done first to make sure they don’t fall too far down the to-do list or have you run out of budget before you can get to them.
You will then want to be aware of your skill level (and be honest about it!) It is best to start out with projects that fit your comfort level and then progress to more difficult projects as you get more comfortable with your handiwork around the house.
It is a good idea before you start any project to know all the steps, tools and time that it will take to achieve the project. If you aren’t sure, do your research before starting the project. YouTube is a great resource for videos and step-by-step guidelines, as they often have professionals or professional companies helping with how-to videos.
Your next step will be to plan the prep that is needed for the first project you plan to tackle. First, take into consideration the amount of time your project will take. Will your project be a quick weekend project, take a couple of weekends or will you need to take some time off work to complete the project over a long weekend or week?
Once you have the timeline figured out, the next thing you will want to do is allocate the budget you have to spend on this project and then add 10 percent to what you plan to spend. Most projects will add up to about 10 percent more than you plan for them to be, so building in that wiggle room for your budget will ensure that you can get it done and have the money to complete it. The last thing you want to do is to get 90 percent of the project done and run out of money to finish.
Lastly, prep the space in your home where you will be tackling your project. Move all the furniture you will need either out of the room or in the interior of the room and covered. If you’re doing any work around counter space, be sure to cover and seal it well, along with carpet or flooring that might need to be covered also.
The final (yet most important) task will be beginning and following through with your first home improvement project. The best tips for a successful DIY home project is to start at step one, take your time, take breaks, step back and look at the whole project once you near the end, and then clean up and celebrate!
As with any current or future home improvement project you may encounter, remember that there may come time where you need to call in the pros to help you finish a project. Whether a project is simply taking more time than you can dedicate to it or you run into issues that you aren’t sure how to correctly tackle on your own, as long as the project is done correctly and leaves you with the end result you desire it doesn’t matter how it is accomplished in the end.
Parry Custom Homes is an established homebuilder in the Pittsburgh area. Call or contact us today for more information.