DIY Home Repairs vs. Handyman Services: Making the Right Choice for Your Home Maintenance Needs
As a homeowner, it can feel like your to-do list never ends. It seems like there’s always a new home repair or improvement that needs to be completed. Although tackling reno projects yourself can help you save money, you may not have the time or skills necessary to do the job correctly. Sometimes it’s best to call a professional to take care of your home maintenance needs. Below are some things to consider when choosing between DIY home repairs vs. handyman services.
Amount of Time Available
When comparing DIY home repairs vs. handyman services, it’s clear that fixing things yourself is cheaper. However, you may not want to spend your already limited free time on home maintenance. A recent study found that Singaporeans only spend 27% of their time on leisure after factoring in working and sleeping hours.
If you have kids or elderly relatives to care for, you probably have even less time to yourself. No one would blame you for outsourcing your home repairs to handyman Singapore so you can relax for a change!
Plus, if you don’t have a lot of time to devote to home improvement, it may be difficult for you to finish projects. If you overcommit, you could end up with half-finished DIY jobs all over your condo, which can be unsightly.
If you’re a busy professional, it may be easier to let Pro-Handy take care of your home repair needs. They offer a wide variety of handyman services, including plumbing, painting, wooden decking repair, wall plastering, and kitchen door hinge replacement. Plus, they provide free estimates and have a satisfaction guarantee to ensure that you’re happy with the results.
Skill Level
Another barrier to completing your own home repair projects is your skill level. It’s pretty easy for the average homeowner to handle DIY jobs like painting, adhesive floor tile installation, and furniture assembly. However, if you don’t have construction experience, more specialized work like plumbing and electrical is likely outside of your wheelhouse.
If you attempt complex projects after watching a few YouTube videos, you risk injuring yourself or causing costly damage to your home. So don’t try to tackle jobs that you suspect are beyond your abilities. Bring in an experienced handyman instead to ensure the job gets done properly.
HDB Rules
If you live in an HDB flat, there are many rules regarding home renovations and DIY projects that you must follow. Homeowners aren’t allowed to make certain changes to their flat, such as drilling holes through beams and changing the color of the balcony railing. So you have to make sure your DIY plans don’t run afoul of any of the HDB’s rules.
Additionally, there are lots of renovations that can’t be done without a permit, including updating floor and wall finishes and replacing sliding doors leading out to your balcony. Once the permit is issued, the renovation must be completed within a certain timeframe, usually three months. Plus, you can’t take more than three consecutive days to demolish walls and remove floor and wall finishes.
There are also noise ordinances that affect when you can do construction work. General renovation jobs can only be completed from 9am to 6pm, and DIY projects that involve hammering or drilling must stop before 10:30pm at night. If you’re planning on burning the midnight oil and completing DIY projects after dark, you’ll have to ask your neighbors for permission.
A Professional Can Ensure All Rules Are Followed
Keep in mind that this isn’t an exhaustive list of the protocols that you have to follow. The sheer number of regulations you have to abide by can make your head spin! If you can’t keep track of all these rules, you may be better off hiring a professional. They’ll ensure your renovation is done properly according to HDB guidelines.
However, remember that you must hire a contractor who’s registered with the HDB. Luckily there’s a directory of registered renovation contractors to help you with the hiring process.
Wrapping Up
Doing some DIY projects around your condo can help you customize your space and turn it into a home. However, make sure you don’t get in over your head. Only tackle projects you feel confident you can complete to avoid making costly mistakes. If you’re unsure, it’s best to hire a handyman to take care of the job for you.
Do you prefer to tackle home improvement projects and repairs yourself or hire a handyman? Let us know in the comments!