In the pioneering days of the nation, most people took a do-it-yourself approach to handling most things in their lives. However, the world we live in now is far more complex. This has resulted in swinging to the opposite extreme—relying on the expertise of others to solve all our problems. We often seek validation from authority figures and experts in order to get anything done.
The truth is somewhere in the middle. Yes, it’s wonderful to be confident and resourceful enough to do things that need to be done instead of waiting for someone to do it for us (usually at a price). Conversely, many DIY projects would have been better left to people who knew what they’re doing. The stark consequences of sloppy carpentry, careless auto-repair, and leaking roofs are all testimonies of time-wasting and sometimes expensive DIY disasters.
Let’s take a look at three examples of when it’s a good idea to use the DIY approach and when it’s a good idea to hire help.
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Moving
In many instances, we all have enough practical sense to put things in boxes, label them, and transport them to a new location using a pickup or a rented truck. Why, then, do we need professional movers?
Essentially, it’s not a question of ability but of time, teamwork, and transportation. If you’re not working crazy hours at a job, plan to make a local move, and can recruit enough family and friends to help you out, then there is no reason why you need a professional mover.
Conversely, if you only have time to pack after a hard day at the office, plan to move cross country, can’t get enough people to help you to pack up a large household of stuff, and don’t know how to drive a large truck, then, in terms of logistics, things aren’t going to work out too well for you. Hiring a professional moving company will make everything fall perfectly into place. You’ll arrive at your new destination without feeling exhausted and an emotional wreck. Professionals like Allied Movers can provide you with everything you need—enough people to do the heavy lifting, the right equipment (dollies and straps and blankets), and a truck big enough to take all your stuff in one trip. In addition, they can help you with packing and unpacking, disassembly and reassembly, appliance installation, clean up, and storage.
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House Painting
It’s fairly easy to learn how to pick the right colors and use the limited range of equipment that you’ll need for the job of painting your walls. Technically, if you have no skills, it’s easy enough to quickly figure out what to do and then practice. In a day or two of painting your walls, you’ll develop a knack for perfect brush strokes and cleaning your equipment.
Whether or not, you should do it yourself depends on your situation. Do you have enough time to learn what to do and practice doing it? Does the job need to be done quickly and expertly without all sorts of beginner’s errors? Is it a project that you find interesting? Is the scope of the project manageable? Are you physically fit? Can you interest enough people to help you?
If the scope of the work is large, you can’t get enough help, and you need to get the work done fast and professionally, it’s definitely a good idea to hire a crew of professional painters. Conversely, if you have the time, the interest, and a sense of humor about messing up on the project, then it might be fun to go ahead and do it yourself.
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Cleaning
The skills you need to clean a house or office well are even more elementary than learning how to paint your own walls. This is definitely a do-it-yourself project unless you don’t have the time to get it done. You’ll experience a sense of immense satisfaction when you look at each of your clean rooms after your work is done. You can also make the work fun by listening to music or a self-help audio as you sweep, wash, scrub and polish.
In conclusion, if a project is well within your skillsets, and you have the time, equipment, and other resources, then it’s actually fun to do it yourself. However, if you have no idea what you’re doing, feel frustrated about every aspect of the task, and are short on time, then you should indeed hire the right people for the job. Specialized work, like plumbing, HVAC, roofing, and most electrical jobs requires the skills of professionals.