Comment on New homeowner lots of questions
Balthazar@lemmy.world 1 year agoThis is all great advice! I would add:
- Youtube is great for how-to videos that will allow you to take care of a lot of small repairs more or less for “free”, but it’s not interactive. Use this Lemmy community and/or diy.stackexchange.com to crowd-source solutions to your problems (explain the problem and post a few photos) that you can then watch videos about.
- In regard to tools, I like the following rule: when you first need a tool, buy the cheapest one that will get the job done; then when it eventually breaks (because you’re using it for new jobs) buy a good-quality one. This way, you’re not spending extra money on stuff you’re only going to use once or twice.
- Laws in the United States allow a lot of work to be done by the homeowner, especially when you’re replacing “like for like” (e.g., swapping out an electrical socket); but if you’re doing more than that, check on whether you’re going to need a permit from the local government. In other countries, laws may require licensed contractors perform certain work (e.g., electrical and plumbing).
- Take care of emergencies, but then get comfortable. It’s your home, you’re going to spend lots of time there, so you don’t want to be living in a construction zone for a decade. Work towards a standard of living that you (and your family) can not only tolerate but have some level of comfort in.