You might hear the words, “Do it yourself” and the butterflies in your stomach awaken (and bounce around for a while). I admit that there are quite a few stories out there where a DIY project has gone terribly wrong and may have even cost the homeowner more (after something has exploded) to eventually get the issue fixed by a professional. But, for every one horror story, there are at least 10 success stories.
With all of the help out there online, there is certainly enough information to learn how a project is done, and that DIY project can typically be completed with ease and for an incredibly minimal expense. Throughout my life, I have learned a few DIY tricks that save me hundreds of dollars every time!
1) Replace/Reseal Your Toilet
You might think this project is simply too gross to tackle, but it really isn’t all that bad. And, it is actually quite simple. If your toilet is beginning to leak, or if you simply want a new, efficiency toilet, first turn off the water to the tank. This can typically be found right behind the toilet. If you cannot find a valve there, then turn the water off through the main shut-off valve. Once the water is turned off, flush the toilet. Then, to get rid of the remaining water, use a wet vacuum to extract the water (the job becomes less messy this way). Remove the toilet bolts, and then simply lift the toilet and place it off to the side. Replace the old seal with a new one, press the new toilet down on the seal, tighten up the bolts, and you are finished! Viola, you just spent $4.00 and 30 minutes for a job that would have cost you $150 for a professional to come in.
2) Tile Your Floor
Tiling might look intimidating, but it is actually quite simple as well. A professional might charge you hundreds of dollars (maybe even thousands), but you can do this job for a hundred bucks or less. First, you need to strip your floor down to the base floor, then lay cement board (to hold the weight of the tile). Begin tiling by the door in a corner and work your way out diagonally, using a straight edge to stay square with the wall. Spread ¼” of mortar or less (depending on the size of your tile) with a jagged-tooth trowel and press each tile down flush with the tile laid previously. Once you have laid the tile, simply use a rubber trowel to work grout within each crack. After a few minutes (as it hardens), wipe off the excess grout with a rough sponge. There are a few steps, but with Youtube’s help, anyone can successfully tile a room.
3) Reseal A Shower
If you notice that water is escaping your shower and is making your bathroom carpet wet, you may be inclined to call a professional. I would encourage you to stop, evaluate the situation, and save yourself a hundred bucks by doing the job yourself. More than likely, there is just a break in the shower door seal and can be easily fixed with a sealer like Megabrand. First, locate the area where the water is coming through (simply dry the area, and then let the shower run and find the first point of wetness). Finally, dry the area again and apply the sealer. You can find different brands like Megasealed. Let it dry for a couple of hours and then test your fix! This will likely solve your issues and will cost you less than $10 (instead of $120 or something ridiculous).
Always consider doing a job yourself. If, after much contemplation and research, you still think the job is beyond you, then I would encourage you to call a professional.
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We did a ton of DIY reno on our old house. It really does save a ton of money. If we couldn’t figure out something, we honestly read-up a ton, then gave it our best shot. I’d do it all over again when the time comes.