How many times have you been to a newly renovated house and you’ve admired the beautiful extension? The flooring was perfect, the choice of materials were classy and functional, and even the colour scheme was on point. I bet if you asked the homeowner who designed and built the extension, they’d tell you that it was a building and design professional!
There is no surprise there, because if you want a home extension done right, you need an expert to help you out. There is just too much at stake for you to try the DIY route.
Why a DIY Home Extension is Not the Best Idea
There is a quote that goes like this: If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do a job, wait until you hire an amateur. It pays to have an expert to work on your home extension project.
Here are some reasons that a DIY approach is best left to personal projects:
- You can end up wasting time on DIY. Since you will be new to renovating, chances are you could make a mistake on the quantity or type of materials you will need or you might buy more than what you need or get the wrong thing altogether. Additionally, you may have to attempt certain jobs more than once, which is a huge time waster!
- There will be a lot of leg work for you. Your home extension project needs to be legal, so you’ll need to organise relevant permits. To obtain permits, you’ll need to have someone draw up the plans, and you’ll need to ensure you’re covered by insurance as well. These are just a few things that an expert will manage for you that can amount to a lot of work for you if you DIY.
- You may cause structural damage to your house. Especially if you have an older house, you may cause unintentional damage instead of simply beautifying or improving it with an extension. This is where a professional builder and designer’s eye and experience is very much needed.
- You can get injured. If you are an amateur builder, you may not be aware of current work safety guidelines. These don’t just apply to operating power tools, they apply across any task undertaken on a building site, like tearing down walls or any demolition work. Avoid injuring yourself by hiring a professional.
Conclusion
It is understandable that there is a sense of accomplishment if you work on your own small project. However, you really need to consider the risks of trying a major DIY. Engaging a professional builder or contractor from the outset is always the safest way of approaching an extension project. You may also want to go through our home extension beginner’s guide here to be better informed.
Do you have a home extension project in mind? Let us know about it so we can properly advice you. Feel free to contact us today.
