Hello everyone,
As you have noticed, I'm new here. So I would like to say few words about me. :)
My name is Nina, I'm a teacher who likes painting, restauration of everything that comes to my hands, and I like nature.
Today's topic, and every other topic that I am going to write about in the future would certainly be connected to my affection to it. I can say that I follow new brands, new technology, but I'm more attracted to things that I can still do myself, create myself and find myself, even though it is sometimes harder, but that is the beauty of it.
I hope, some of you have already the similar interests as I do, and want to follow me, my articles and my stories.
One of my favorite hobbies is restauration of old things and bring them to life again. Hence, today I'm going to write about something that concerns most of the people when buying and renovating a new house.
Once you decide to buy a house, there are several things you should look upon. Before beginning with this kind of a project you need to consult with some experts in this area. This can be the member of your family, with the years of experience or some contractors you should probably want to hire eventually. Once you renovate your home, you realize this would add to its value, if you decide to sell it in the future and move to another place, or if you, on the other hand, decide to keep it and spend the rest of your life with your family in that house, you still need to take care of the functionality and safety of the house.
Whether it’s updating the kitchen or just repainting the walls—you should take some measures to ensure that you and your family are safe during this DIY project.
The important thing, most people avoid or forgot to do when decide to do renovating by themselves, is to do some research about proper using of the equipment, especially the difficult and dangerous one. You have to familiarize yourself with different small equipment that you might need to complete the renovation. You need to make sure that all the equipment and tools you are going to use are properly calibrated and are working. Accidents can happen even to the most careful.
Know Your New Home
First thing to do is to make sure you have a blueprint of your house. This is important when working with heavy equipment, like sledgehammer. Preparing walls is a good thing, but realizing that you hit the pipes or electrical wires can bring more damage than good. Your minor home renovation might turn into a major one if you hit some important pipes and wires. The second thing you have to be aware of is possible presence of asbestos which are used in most homes before the 70s. Mould and mildew may also be hiding in the inner walls. If these three things are present, in this case there is only one solution but call the professionals to remove them.
Meet The City Codes
Bare in mind that whether it’s a major or minor renovation, it is recommended to search for some city codes. Go to your local government office to check if you need permits for the changes you’re about to make.
If you live in an old neighbourhood, perhaps you may not be allowed to change anything on the exterior of the house for historical reasons.
Wear Proper Clothing
Another thing you need to pay attention to is your own safety. Most people forget to prepare themselves for such a serious job. Make sure you are covered from head to toe. That means wearing overalls, closed-toe shoes, long-sleeved shirts, masks and gloves. In some cases you will also need earplugs and safety goggles for your eyes. Wearing the right clothing will ensure that paint, chemicals and pieces of wood and dust won’t touch your skin and eyes. Not following these instruction may lead to some serious outcomes.
Follow the Ladder rules
Most people have issues with heights. Situations like this, where you need to use something to reach higher spots, in this particular case of renovating, ladders can cause several problems. You will need someone to hold the ladder steady while you climb up and down. If you don’t have anyone in the house capable of helping, some younger and stronger members of your family, the best advise is to rethink your decision of doing this home renovation completely on your own.
It can cause serious injuries that might affect your way of living in the future. According to some general rules, the ladder is supposed to be angled 75% against the wall. It’s the 4-to-1 rule. For every four feet of the ladder that you are going to use, the bottom part should be spaced a foot from the wall.
This is a golden rule, worth following, because it concerns you and your beloved ones.
Conclusion: Seek Professional Help If Needed
Some people are too proud to ask for anyone's help especially professional, even when they clearly need it. When it comes to dealing with technical stuff call a professional if you do not want to make it worse. There are a lot of contractors, experts in this filed, who are willing to help and who can do it right .
Finally, when the the home renovation project is over, you pat yourself on the back. However difficult it was, no matter how involved you were in the whole project, however minor the changes are, you’ll be glad it is finished and done properly. At the end of the day, it is you and your family who will spend time here, and enjoy living in it safely. With one experience more, maybe next time, you can involve in more challenging renovation tasks.