S2 Ep35 - DIY Pitfalls - a podcast by Brian Cook And Kindra Cox

On Season 2 Episode 35 of The Brian & Kindra Show, they discuss some pitfalls of do-it-yourself projects.

Some people are handy, and some think they are handy. When it comes to DIY, it’s important to know your limits & your comfort level. Be sure you are really capable of correctly completing that project before you start! 

Here are some areas where Brian & Kindra consistently see issues when looking at homes that have had some DIY projects done: 

• Flooring tiles - the tiles are either not consistently spaced, are laid in an incorrect pattern, or are unlevel (sometimes to the point of being dangerous to walk on)
• Showers - the shower pan leaks, the shower pan is holding water, the drain leaks in/under the floor, the faucet leaks behind the wall, the grout is coming out, or the tile is not consistently laid/spaced. We’ve seen lots of houses that had to have the shower replaced when it came time to sell because the previous DIY shower installation was done incorrectly.
• Thresholds - mismatched, unlevel, improperly installed, or just plain missing thresholds between flooring changes
• Incompletition - when we live in the home while doing projects, it’s easy to get used to a piece of your home being incomplete, and you simply never finish the final details.

Usually, a DIY project is aimed at saving money, and while everyone wants to save money, sometimes a professional can do the job cheaper than you can buy the tools & materials! Go ahead & get a professional to take a look at the project before you assume it will be drastically cheaper for you to do it yourself. Additionally, what is your time worth? A professional can perform a task incredibly faster than a DIYer, saving you time, energy, and frustrations. Finally, a professional will back up their work! If there’s an issue found after a job is completed, a pro will come back & fix it!

However, if you’re going to DIY, do it correctly! Be a finisher, use good products, be detailed, know the right tools for the job, be educated, and, more importantly, use a professional when you need to, even for just a portion of the job!

Additionally, sometimes doing it yourself isn’t totally by yourself, but finding the right teacher to help you - such as having a professional work alongside you or, for simpler jobs, watching several videos on YouTube/the internet, making sure you’ve found several videos that teach the same method to ensure that it’s the correct method. 

To listen to the full episode of The Brian & Kindra Show, search for them on your favorite podcast service or check out the video on YouTube by searching “The Brian and Kindra Show”. 

Brian and Kindra hope this information has been helpful to you. As always, if you have any questions or need help, please feel free to reach out to your local real estate professional.

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