HOME MAINTENANCE : Think Carefully Before Doing It Yourself

If you’re handy, you can probably do many home improvements or home repairs yourself--but should you?

To avoid having do-it-yourself become botch-it-yourself, consider the following factors before tackling any good-sized project:

* Check your local building code and ordinances. Part of your project may require that the work be done by licensed professionals.

* Some jobs require special tools. Though you may be able to rent tools, a professional already owns them--and knows how to use them.

* It can take quite a bit of study to equal a professional’s knowledge of lumber, roofing, tiling, plumbing and heating.

* Time is an important factor. You may, for example, feel competent to remodel your kitchen. But if you can work only on weekends, the project may take months to complete. Can your family do without full cooking facilities for that long?

It’s rarely a simple question of do-it-yourself versus hiring a professional. More often, it’s a matter of deciding at what points you’ll need professional help that will be most practical and least costly.

You can always do a lot of the preliminary work yourself, no matter how much professional help is required, and save money in labor costs. You can pull down old partitions or rip up worn floor coverings, scrape off paint and repaint when required, take off old wallpaper and put up new, replace broken window panes, and staple insulation in place.

Hiring a Contractor

In doing the work yourself, you may still end up hiring specialists for certain parts of the job. If you must deal with several workers, consider hiring a general contractor, especially if the project is sizable.

A competent contractor has a thorough knowledge of the building process and is experienced at hiring, handling and scheduling various subcontractors or workers. In addition, he or she can usually get materials and labor at lower cost and often make a profit without charging much more than you would pay if you were your own contractor.

Choose a contractor carefully. The best way is to find completed projects that you like and ask the homeowner who did it. Ask friends for recommendations too. Building supply yards and your local building inspector’s office are also good sources. They generally know who uses good building materials, has finances in order and completes jobs on time.

Getting the right contractor requires asking the right questions. Here are the basic ones:

* Is he or she properly licensed?

* Does the contractor have a street address? If there’s only a post office box, it may make it hard for you to find the person later.

* How long in business? Statistics show that most new contractors go out of business within three years.

* Does the Better Business Bureau have any complaints on record?

* Have you been supplied with the names and addresses of satisfied customers?

* Can you talk to the contractor and feel you are being listened to?

* Can you see copies of the contractor’s insurance policies, including workers’ compensation and liability insurance?

* Is the person familiar with local building regulations and codes? Able to obtain the necessary permits and give you copies?

* Are all materials and workmanship guaranteed? For how long?

* Will changes or substitutes in materials and workmanship require your written approval?

* Are arrangements made for cleanup and removal of debris from the premises, both on a daily basis and after the job is completed?

* If there is a delay in completing the work, will there be a penalty? Most contractors will agree to this only for large projects and generally only if you offer them a bonus for early completion.

* Have a written contract prepared by your lawyer. And be sure to reserve a substantial final payment until the job is 100% complete.