Doing It Yourself – A Trap or A Triumph?

​Knowing what you don’t know is about as important as knowing what you do know!  Not knowing the difference can definitely be a troublesome trap.
 
Certainly one of the biggest misconceptions, when considering a do it yourself project, is that of assuming that “do-it-yourself” is automatically going to be cheaper, more efficient, and a lot of fun!  Okay.  Let’s take a good look at that.
 
Some do-it-yourselfers are quite skilled in many areas required for their project at hand.  The retired or side-jobbing builder, carpenter, plumber or other specifically knowledgeable individual, of course, is not the candidate we are discussing here.  Those individuals know quite well when it is time to reach outside their expertise and ask for what they need.
 
It is the excited and motivated hobbyist or generally creative, smart enthusiast we are bringing into this spotlight.  They would be the persons who truly believe they can handle it all, learn, research and discover everything they need, by themselves, to get the job done.    (Some can, will and do!)

Doing your own interior project, yourself, to refresh, reconfigure or refurbish your environment can be exciting and satisfying – just be smart about getting the advice you need!

​There are many factors that work against such well-meant intentions.  Some are the simple practical realities of miscalculations of time and the distraction of their usual life patterns.   Then, there is the lack of knowledge and insight to the very essential, specific details of all the aspects that come into play – depending on the complexity of the project one has taken on.
 
By no means must a determined and dedicated do-it-myself advocate turn the whole shebang over to “professionals” -- or anticipate certain disaster!  There are many portions of even the most complex project that the client can achieve, with or without professional guidance (or intervention).  Knowing where those divisions should wisely occur is very important.
 
About the “fun” part!   Doing your project essentially yourself can be a lot of fun!  Insuring that, and keeping up the enthusiasm, enjoyment and self-satisfaction, is more likely to sustain when you recognize when to get advice before you decide to “wing it” on some unfamiliar detail.
 
Resources are all around you.  Most of those resources are willing to advise from the sidelines – within reason.  But, don’t expect a reputable resource to hand out specific instruction or advice when they only have a small piece of the puzzle or a limited glimpse of the project.   A fragment of guidance here, and another fragment there can become one of the traps.
 
So, how can you achieve a happy medium between essentially accomplishing your project “yourself,” and making sure that the technical details that are new territory for you do not derail everything?  Where must the compromises come in?  Where do you turn for what you need – without having conflicting advice from numerous sources, all with partial insight to your challenges?
 
Coordinating all the parts of achieving your project vision need not be daunting.  Limited assistance from a design professional, at the front end planning stage, is one solution.  Make it clear that you wish to produce your project personally, hands-on.  Clarify that what you want is informed, knowledgeable, professional guidance with oversight!   
 
Another wise decision, as your own “project coordinator,” would be to invest in and acquire professional plans, for every step of the project phases, with which you can proceed with more confidence.  
 
Bottom line:  before embarking on a do-it-yourself adventure, spend a fraction of your budget on some professional design consultation and guidance on how to do-it-right-yourself – to   insure the best outcome!