Your home is your castle. But even the sturdiest of castles could use a little extra fortification every once in a while. Whether you want to make your home safer and more structurally sound, add some aesthetic flourishes, or breathe new life into your kitchen or bathroom with a complete renovation, every homeowner faces the same dilemma… Do they attempt to do it themselves, or do they leave it to a skilled professional?
While engaging the services of a professional will result in greater expense, it can also ensure that your project will be completed to a high standard within an agreed timeframe. A DIY job may be cheaper, yet it may take considerably longer (leaving you without a kitchen, bathroom or usable living space for longer). What’s more, unless you are supremely confident in your DIY skills, there’s a much greater chance that something will go wrong, leading to more expense and deferred completion dates.
Whichever option suits you best, please bear the following tips in mind in our beginner’s guide to home improvements…
If it’s plumbing or electrical, leave it to a professional
Little things like installing a new kitchen tap or adding a dimmer switch to your living room are fairly easy and low-risk projects for a competent DIY-er, but when it comes to all things plumbing and electrical there’s no shame in calling the pros. Attempting to address plumbing or electrical improvements without a solid understanding of what your doing can result in permanent damage to your home or (worse still) to you.
Always have a budget
Many homeowners will turn to a contractor and ask what they will have to spend to carry out the renovations they need. However, any contractor worth their salt will ask in response, “What’s your budget?” When you know your budget, a contractor can find solutions to fit it while still giving you what you want (so long as you keep your expectations realistic). The better you budget and the more realistic your budget, the less chance you have of encountering any unpleasant surprises.
Always have a timeline
Uncertainty can be a terrible thing, especially when you’re living in a home that’s not entirely usable while renovations are in progress. Your contractor should be able to help you to establish a reasonable timeline while also working within your budget.
Do your homework before choosing a contractor
We certainly wouldn’t expect you to choose a contractor arbitrarily out of the phone book. If you’re to entrust your home to a contractor, make sure you do your homework to ensure that they have the capabilities and passion to carry out the work required. Take a look at their website, scour sites like HomeStars or Rate My Contractor to get unbiased consumer reviews. Take a look at previous works they’ve carried out and how well they align with what you have in mind. Moreover, make sure that they have the resources to ensure that the job gets done on time and within your agreed budget.
How Masters Construction can help
We are an Ottawa-based group of four distinct companies, which affords us a huge pool of the skills, talent, experience and passion. This allows us to service all your home improvement needs. We currently have 8 crews servicing Ottawa and the surrounding areas and have completed over 5,000 successful projects in and around Ottawa, leaving happy and contented customers wherever we go.
What’s more, as an accredited Home Depot Installations Partner, we can offer you financing along with the best warranty offered in the industry.
So, what are you waiting for? Call us today on (613) 777-5200 for a free zero-obligation quote!