Refurbishing your home: Enlist a handyman for support

This article comes from highly successful, London-based plumbing company Pimlico Plumbers, where the matter of why hiring a handyman can often prove the prudent option is discussed.

“A lot of us are very proud of our homes. We can also be proud of what we see as our talent for DIY, our ability to turn our hand to any job around the house and do just as good a job (well, almost) as the professionals.

Oh, and we also like to save a few quid where we can and get the homes we want without breaking the bank.

But while keeping on top of odd jobs yourself makes lots of sense, when it comes to undertaking bigger refurbishment projects, you need to think carefully about whether doing it yourself is really the best option.

Although you might see it as saving money, long term you might not be getting the value you think. Here’s why hiring a handyman to help can often work out the better option.

Saving you time

The biggest obstacle you face in giving your home a major facelift is time. When you work full time and have busy lives, it is hard to dedicate the same amount of time and attention that larger projects need.

What you confidently think you can complete in a couple of weekends can easily start to drag on, stretching into weeks or even months of disruption. Hiring a professional handyman to help might cost, but it will ensure you get the job completed quickly and efficiently. In the end, it boils down to how much you value your time.

Staying safe

There are some jobs that you really should leave to the professionals, just to be on the safe side. You might think you will be fine moving a plug socket or relocating a light fixture to accommodate a new room layout, but where electricals are concerned, you are better safe than sorry.

The same applies to working at height on ladders or on your roof. You should ask yourself if it is worth the risk of injury to do a job yourself, rather than hiring a skilled pro who does it day in, day out.

Quality guarantee

If something goes wrong on your DIY project, it is your responsibility to put it right, adding time and stress to the job.

Alternatively, you will have to hire someone to come and fix the issue, which means your initial efforts have all been in vain. By hiring a handyman in the first place, especially one with good reviews and a strong reputation, you guarantee getting the job done to a professional standard first time.

They have the skills, they have the tools, they have the experience. And if something does go awry, it is their responsibility to put it right, for no extra cost.

Longer lasting value

The other side of quality workmanship is that it lasts. If you do a job to a high professional standard first time, you won’t need to spend any money on it again perhaps for years.

But as confident as you might be of your DIY skills, you’re more likely to find something you have done yourself – a bit of plumbing, perhaps, or those kitchen cabinets you have installed – doesn’t quite stand the test of time so well, and needs to be revisited sooner than you’d expect. Paying to get the job done well first time often saves you money in the long run.”