MERRILLVILLE, IN…
Perhaps it’s the innate pioneer spirit in all of us to build and mend our own home. Or maybe it’s watching one too many “Extreme Makeover” shows and thinking, “that seemed simple enough.” DirectBuy, the leading members-only showroom and home design center, offers some helpful suggestions for deciding when to take on a home improvement project…or just leave it to the pros.
“To steal a line from Shakespeare, to thine own self be true,” said Sara Shragal, of DirectBuy. “What that means is you have to be able to honestly assess your abilities, your temperament, your schedule and your standards. Are you able to do a job nearly as well as a professional? Can you accept that fact, from an aesthetic point of view? If you’re satisfied with your answers, then you have to get the tools and materials you need to do the job.”
Perhaps the most challenging part of deciding whether or not to take on home improvement project is determining your skill level. If you’re painting a room, it doesn’t require a lot of skill and for materials you essentially need a brush or roller, bucket and some rags. Installing hardwood flooring is another story. You’ll probably need to have a power saw, sanders and nailers on hand and know how to competently use them.
Here are some basic guidelines or questions you need to ask before trying a home improvement project:
● Do you have the skill set needed to take on the project? BE HONEST!
● Do you have the tools needed for the project? If the project requires an expensive tool that you may never use again, you may want to rethink doing it yourself.
● Do you have the installation instructions and, most importantly, do you understand them?
If you answered ‘yes’ to those questions, you then need to make a further personal assessment on how the project will affect your life, both while undertaking the project and afterwards. For example:
● Do you have the time and patience to undertake this project? Guesstimate the time you think the project should take and then double it. If you can live with that, go forward.
● How will the project affect your family? Will you be done in a matter of hours, or will your family have to move around your project?
● Finally, what are your aesthetic standards? Can you live with “good enough,” or do you want perfection? The last thing you want to do is take on a home improvement project and then have to call in a professional because you didn’t like the results.
If you answered affirmatively to the above questions, DirectBuy can help you get the materials and tools you need for any do-it-yourself project—e.g. nailers, sanders, painting supplies, flooring, tiling, and more—all at prices direct from the manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. DirectBuy also employs product specialists and designers, so if a project is a bit out of your skill level or you don’t have the time, you have professionals at your service who can get the job done.
For more information on a DirectBuy membership, you can visit http://www.directbuycares.com.
For more than 37 years, DirectBuy has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 160 locations in North America, DirectBuy offers its members access to approximately 700 brand-name manufacturers and their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers and authorized suppliers in Canada.
Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy’s savings, service and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.
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