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Homeowner FYI: If you are planning on building or renovating a home, you may have begun thinking about possible pros and cons of doing-ityourself (DIY) versus hiring professionals. If you enjoy hands-on projects, even visualize the proud sensation of constructing your own home like our forefathers centuries ago, DIY may seem to be the tempting choice. It may also seem like you could cut costs as a do-it-yourselfer. It ultimately comes down to your skills and experience—and self-assessing these realistically—as well as the size of the project and the resources, in terms of materials, equipment and labour, you have at your disposal. Unless you have done similar building or renovation projects before, as a DIY-er you may not be able to actually grasp what is required to complete the job in its entirety. “When you hire a professional, you’re going to be in good hands with someone who knows
DIY or Go Pro? exactly what they’re doing and who is going to have a better idea of the cost and scope of work involved,” says Peter Briand, President of Econo Renovations. “You’re hiring somebody who has qualified staff, they’re going to do the right job and what’s expected, they’re going to be on budget, they’re going to have all the proper tools and equipment for the job and they know how to deal with surprises.” Hiring a full service professional company, like Econo Renovations, brings
Nova Scotia Home Builders’ Association
By Michelle Brunet Contributing Writer
additional peace of mind since it can manage an entire project from start to finish. That way you do not have to go out and hire contractors for every single component, from carpentry to plumbing and electricity. Skymark Homes & Renovations also offers all-inclusive services for renovations, as well as for building new homes. “We handle everything from building permits, the inspections, the surveying, the engineering, the construction and we do everything right to the closing day where we hire a team of professionals who go in and clean the home to a hotel quality, so basically you can move in that night,” says Evan Collins, General Manager at Skymark Homes NS. “That’s the benefit of dealing with a professional because we can offer one-stop shopping.” Safety is another key benefit to hiring professionals, says Briand. “The homeowner is not usually aware of a lot of the hazards that are involved, such as dealing with demoli-
The REAL Home Show s 2014
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