Are you afraid of getting shocked?
You’re not alone! Electricity is the number one “fear” I’ve seen in the homeowners I’ve worked with over the years. With good reason! Electricity can cause some pain, and in certain circumstances it can do worse than that!
Of course, if handled properly, the electrical work in your home isn’t beyond the grasp of anyone willing to learn how to do it right. But it is one of the the areas that I often suggest a pro. That brings up a shocking revelation!
You Don’t Have to Be a Jack (or Jill) of All Trades!
You can have the rewards and cost savings of doing your own remodeling, while at the same time having the peace of mind that the “hard parts” are done properly.
Take a look at this incredible porch!
I’m sure I’ll write more about this porch in the future! I could stare at this for a long time soaking up little details. I particularly love the furnishings shown here! I enjoy building custom tables and I like the size of this one. But I digress. Before I move on, I’ll show you another view:
Let’s say you want to build a porch like this as an addition to your home. The commonly accepted practice is to hire a contractor to handle it all for you. I support that method wholeheartedly! But it’s not the only way.
What if you hire a contractor or an experienced carpenter to build the structure only? Then hire an electrician to run all the wiring and a plumber to run any plumbing. Roofing could go either way, but most people would hire a roofer as well.
So then you have a partially completed structure. It’s sealed to the weather and you’re free to finish the interior as you like, at your leisure. It’s well within the grasp of most DIY Crews to install the ceiling, the siding, the windows and doors, and the trim.
It might not be perfect, but that’s okay. A look like this one isn’t meant to be perfect anyway!
I realize as I write this, that the realities of what I’m telling you are much more in depth. There are plenty of issues I haven’t discussed here, such as:
- Finding a willing contractor (not always easy)
- Dealing with building department and permit issues (important!)
- Knowing exactly which parts of the work to take on
- The obvious downside to this idea (time, aggravation, etc)
I want to go through each of these in-depth, and I will, but it’s too much for a regular post! I’ll cover some of this type of thing in the monthly email newsletter and I’ll figure out a way to get the rest out there before long!
The bottom line is that you can make huge cost cuts in your projects if you want to do even part of the work yourself. Just look at what you want to do and ask yourself which parts you feel comfortable with. Find professionals willing to do the rest!
There is a real sense of satisfaction in getting your hands dirty and improving your home! I encourage you to try! You can do it.
Pictures: Coastal Living
This is a great idea! Why not let the experts do the hard stuff and save yourself some money on the stuff you CAN do? Thanks for the suggestion!
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Or you can have relatives who are pros do it for you 🙂 My stepdad is a professional electrician, so when we get to that part of our garage remodel we know who to call!
Mrs. Q’s last blog post..Designed By Mr. Dramatic
This porch is definitely a breath of fresh air! The nice thing about an attached porch is the protection from hot sun on the side next to the house. We had a huge porch along the back of a past home and what I learned is how dark it can make the interior rooms! If the existing light will be diminished, I’d consider a skylight or two in the plan.
Thanks for another inspiring post as we thaw a bit and look forward to warmer weather!
Ha ha–I better tell my husband–he thinks he can take on the electrical and has tried to draw a map matching lights and outlets to their breaker, but I’m still nervous.
I’d love a porch just like that…but we need to remember that we’re in Wisconsin and it’s February!
So, we’re looking into building…but we’re going to put a lot of sweat equity into the house if we decide to go ahead with it.
Good post today!
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Hey, Thanks for stopping by again. I’ll have to bookmark your site so I don’t loose track of it. I was actually wondering if you had joined the party at the Nester’s. I love that patio furniture and that table is amazing. What a peaceful looking space. I also love the bathroom pic right below it with the jar of green soaps and that floral arrangement…love it all. You’ve got a great site with tons of help.
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Love your posts because they educate me. And yes, PLEASE DO expand on that porch. I’m in love with it already, and also have your affinity for custom tables. Haven’t done one yet, but have had the blueprints in my mind for some time now!
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