So, you think you can do it yourself ...

But it’s just cabinets and countertops… right? Heck, you’re already pretty handy

with tools, right? And we’re only talking about some wooden boxes and a little bit

of stone. So, how hard can it be? What could go wrong? You and the love of your

life are sure to be happy with the result…?!

Oh honey, not even close. Please, for the sake of your home, happiness, and heck, for the sake of your love life… think about this a little more before jumping into the teeth of a DIY kitchen remodel.

Take it from a pro; there are so many questions and so many dangers just waiting

to jump up and bite you. And any of them could end up costing you so much

more than you think you are saving by doing it yourself.

Want a few examples?

Thinking of changing your existing cabinets/appliances layout?

Plumbing, electrical, venting… Cool, what’s inside your walls? How are you going to cost-effectively, safely, and within code not only move but handle all the scary hidden issues? I’ve remodeled kitchens a thousand times, and even I leave that to the experts on my team.

Does your dream design include moving/removing walls?

Excellent, as you grab the sledgehammer do ya know which walls are load-bearing? Have you safely/properly disconnected the electricity that runs from that wall through the rest of your house? Are you about to knock out the HVAC conduit that sends air-conditioning to your master bedroom? And I sure hope there is no plumbing in that wall!

Soffits in your current kitchen?

Have you researched the possibilities of what’s

lurking in there? Wanted or not…

Oh, and one of my favorites is; taking the crowbar to the floor for tear out

to put down that new “easy to install” planking; only to find that the subfloor is rotten and needs to be replaced all the way to the support beams.

Second guessing a little now? I haven’t even touched the lighting plan, the fine

trim carpentry for molding, shim shingles or the professional touch-up to cover up

all the ticky-tack that occurs during installation. And if you really want to have a

good time, you’ll enjoy hours of fun DIY installing/adjusting all of the cool, must-have storage units that you and your sweetie are so excited about. I’ve done that myself and eventually just lived with the fact that one or more of them sit nonfunctional for… well, pretty much eternity. That’s why I use my professional installers because I actually want them to work properly and serve their purpose (convenience, space and time, remember?!).

So yes, I’ve poked a little fun at the DIY experience, but I promise, I did it for a reason, with good intentions. There is a lot more involved than just screwing cabinets to the wall and dropping stone counters on top. Everyone needs to consider that before jumping in. And you may be right, maybe you are the person that can do it yourself, but are you going to be happy/satisfied at the end? Ever

hear the saying that “it’s better to be happy than right?” Pros like me are here to do just that.