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Many renovation projects can be done by yourself or a with the help of a friend. If you have some good tools, some basic know-how and do a little research you can build a fence, paint a room or change some taps. While it’s still easy to make a mess of a small job if you don’t know what you are doing, many jobs are doable if you are “handy”. However, many are best done by an expert.
We all know that plumbing and electrical should be left to plumbers and electricians. Drywall, flooring, roofing, tile work and carpentry can be done by a homeowner or handyman but the results won’t be the same as when an expert is hired.
Experts have decades of experience and all the best tools. They know which materials to use and which to avoid. They know how much prep work needs to be done before the project starts. They know what “finished product” is possible, how long it will take and what it will cost.
The handrails above are a great example of this. An expert who has honed their skills for 10, 20 or 30 years will take 2 to 4 full days to complete a job like that. They will know how much and what kind of materials are needed and not waste any from rookie mistakes. They will have thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars invested it tools that may only be used on this kind of work.
A homeowner or handyman is unlikely to invest in the tools needed to produce a high-quality result. They won’t have thousands of hours of experience working on this exact project. Because of that lack of experience, the project will likely take significantly longer so if you’re paying by the hour it can end up costing more than if you hired the expert. So, it costs more and isn’t built as well. Lose- lose.
Most trades experts aren’t very good at explaining the value of their experience, tools and hard work. For that reason, homeowners might feel the costs are excessive and try their hand at it or try to save money with a handyman and they will usually get what they pay for.
The best tradesmen are in high demand and can and should charge more than a rookie might. At A.C.T. Construction and Renovations, we have spent the last 16 years improving our team by hiring more and more experts. They cost us more but prove to be worth it with each job they do. Money well spent on a finished product that you can be proud of equals a Win-win!