September 2017

HOME
Do it yourself or
call a handyman?
That is the question
by Aaron Krause
You have a home improvement project you
want to tackle. Do you hire a handyman or
That’s the acronym that homeadvisor.com and
others in the industry use for the phrase Do It
Yourself.
the longer it will probably take and the more you’ll pay for labor. “
A good handyman will be able to tell you from the start if there
are aspects of the job he can’t handle well. In that case, a
contractor or licensed specialist should be called.
According to a Feb. 11, 2016 article on angieslist.com, there’s a
difference between a handyman and a contractor. “Specialized
trades, such as plumbing and electrical work, require licensing,”
wrote the article’s author, Tom Moor. “If a handyman isn’t
licensed, you’ll need to hire a specialized contractor who is. If
not, you could be liable financially if damages occur. Or, if you try
to sell the home, you could end up paying more to fix the issue
so it meets local code requirements.”
Homeadvisor.com breaks down jobs into sizes: small, medium,
and large. Small jobs include replacing light switches, outlets,
a by broken Palmer garbage Petersdisposal, repairing a leaky faucet, replacing
a thermostat, or hanging a picture. The guideline is if you only
need hand tools and a couple of hours, it’s a small job.
Medium jobs need more time and expertise. As an example,
homeadvisor.com considers repairing drywall or hanging shelves
medium-sized jobs. Repairing drywall involves spackle, a putty
knife, and attaching support material depending on the damage.
Hanging shelves must be properly anchored into studs. The
website states: “These jobs can take between two and four
hours to finish.”
Large jobs are the most involved and include wiring for a home
theater, installing heaters and cooling registers, wall repair, or
installing a kitchen sink
with all the elements.
“Generally, if you’re
wondering if you need
a handyman or a
contractor for a particular
job, it’s probably
considered a large job,”
the web site states.
“Such undertakings can
require anywhere from
four hours to a couple of
days to complete. The
more complicated a job,
Then there are safety concerns. “One of the worst outcomes
of a DIY project is being injured while on the job. Injuries are
much more likely to occur when the person completing the
project is inexperienced and unfamiliar with the tools needed for
the project. A professional will understand how to conduct the
project in the safest environment possible, which ensures the
efficacy of the project and prevents harm,” he said.
Homeowners should take into account all details they need to
consider before taking on a project. That way they can make a
good decision on how to proceed. P
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SEPTEMBER 2017