2020 Fall Home Improvement

Page 4 2020 FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT Lincoln Daily News September 24, 2020 Intro The advent of Big Box Stores like Menards, Home Depot, Lowes and others has given rise to the current DIY era. The availability of quality materials and advice from quasi store professionals gives confidence that you can indeed do it yourself and save big money. But that approach may not always bring the best or desired outcome. There are three big reasons to hire professionals to do your home improvement job rather than do it yourself. 1) You do not have the skills or experience to complete the task. 2) You desire a professional appearance to the job rather than risk an amateur result. 3) You do not have the available time to invest in a project and risk being torn up for too long a period. I would also suggest a fourth reason to hire professionals: stress. Often taking on major DIY projects creates anxiety, stress and friction, along with arguments, disagreements and opposing visions. And then there is the necessary relational grace when the project turns out mediocre (it leans a little, but at least it’s into the wind). Hiring professionals does not relieve you of the complete matter. You still need to maintain a certain level of involvement to make sure the job is getting done according to your vision. Often professionals fail to keep the appointed timeframe agreements, or miss something you said you wanted. Never expect the professional to manage the budget on the job. And then there are occasions when the so-called professional fails entirely and you have to replace them mid-job. Not everyone who has a pickup truck and a circular saw is a qualified professional. In this edition of Home Improvement our LDN writers give some guidance on the subject of hiring professionals, complete with interviews of local contractors and some YouTube videos. We wish you happiness, good luck and good results with all your home improvement endeavors. [Jim Youngquist]