Homeowner DIY Fridays

Friday’s on this blog will feature tips, ideas, projects and fun find tools for indoor and outdoor DIY projects. Come here too for people to call when you realize you’ve done something dumb. You’ll benefit from my trial and error on plans that panned out, oops moments and fixer finds (contractors) worth noting.

This is not a palatial estate – more like The Money Pit – so cost is a factor in making decisions. Past experience, however, has taught me there’s great value in getting things done right the first time. I appreciate vendors who are creative problem solvers while being steadfast about solid and smart solutions borne from honed craftsmanship. I’ll share some standouts on occasional Fridays.

My first response to DIY is DON’T. This is the second home I’ve bought where most done by previous owners needs to be undone. If it’s plumbing, electrical, structural or finishing work you don’t have the skills (or a license) to mess with, leave it to the pros.

Still, there are times when DIY makes sense, can be a lot of fun and doesn’t leave your home in worse shape than when you started the project. For the woman who’s hesitant to pick up a power tool or man wearing a white collar who can’t find a stud, you’ll find some fun, easy and useful ideas here for surmountable projects.

There’s also that bookkeeping thing. Once in a while I may offer ideas for deductions to ask your accountant about (I am not a CPA) as well as tips for record keeping that may help when the day comes you decide to sell.