Remodeling?

Builders Association of Northern Nevada

If you've just moved into your brand

new home, you could be one of many

who decide to personalize your space

through do-it-yourself (DIY) remodeling.

Before jumping in, be sure you have the

proper skills and knowledge of what you

plan to undertake.According to the U.S.

Census Bureau, homeowner DIY projects

account for 20 percent of all remodeling

and industry experts say that between 25

percent and 30 percent of their work

comes from fixing DIY disasters.

Some credit the desire among

homeowners to tackle repair and

remodeling projects to hit television

shows like ABC's Extreme Home

Makeover and the Discovery Channel's

Monster House.The introduction of cable

channels with programming dedicated to

all things home including HGTV and the

DIY Network may inspire homeowners to

take on home fixes and decorating

challenges as well.

"With the popularity of all of these

shows dedicated to projects that

homeowners can do themselves, it is

important that homeowners understand

that these shows hire professionals to do

the work and make it look easy," says

National Association of Home Builders

(NAHB) Remodelors Council™ Chairman

Vince Butler."Embarking on a home

project without the needed planning and

expertise can be very expensive and can

have a negative effect on home equity."

While a motivated, skilled DIYer may

remodel as well as a professional, you

should ask yourself these questions first:

- Have you ever done this before?

- How much money will you really

save? (To get a true sense of actual

costs of a project, take what you think

it will cost in time and money and

multiply by three.)

Will you know what to do when

something goes wrong?

Duane Willers, owner of Willers

Remodeling and General Contracting in

Sparks, says that he receives a lot of calls

from individuals asking him how to do

certain projects because they have run

into a problem. "They underestimate a

remodeling project because they don't

know what they are getting into. Unless

they know what could go wrong and

how to fix it, they should call a

professional; one who is licensed,

bonded, and insured,"Willers says.

Still think you can tackle a big remodeling

project? Greg Reddicks, President of

High Sierra Construction, cautions all

motivated DIYers with a very similar

message."When you use a licensed

subcontractor you get warranties and

guarantees that you won't have if you do

the work yourself and mess it up! Your

mistakes can make the costs of a remodel

job sky-rocket."

Greg Reddicks and other professionals

admit that when it comes to repairs and

remodeling their own homes they hire

trade professionals to do the work."I have

been in construction my whole life and I

still hire a pro to do work at our house,

because there are certain things even I

wouldn't touch such as electrical,

plumbing and heating," says Reddicks.

If you are willing to put the time and

energy into a do-it-yourself home

remodel, the Remodelors Council advises:

- Follow product directions.

- Get a detailed, illustrated home repair

and maintenance book.

- Do very careful and thorough

preparation: Set everything up and

protect surrounding surfaces.

- Practice with the tools.

- Follow safety procedures and use

proper safety equipment.

While careful attention to detail and

directions can help a DIYer with a

successful remodel, the Builders

Association of Northern Nevada warns

against non-professionals attempting

certain jobs because of the damage and

life-threatening risk these projects can

create.Think three times about these

projects:

- Electrical - unless you are a licensed

electrician do not attempt to rewire

your home. If done improperly you

can burn down your house.

- Structural Changes - removing or

adding walls or cutting holes into the

roof can compromise the structural

integrity of your home.

- Plumbing - moving or adding pipes

incorrectly can create an unintended

indoor swimming pool.

Remember, DIY should be fun. If you

don't see it as fun, then DDIY (don't do it

yourself), hire a professional.To learn

more about remodeling, visit

www.nahb.org or to find a local

remodeler, visit the Builders Association

of Northern Nevada's web site at

www.thebuilders.com.

Just days after this article was

written, Greg Reddicks passed away

from illness. His knowledge and wit will

be greatly missed by our community.