Building, fixing, repairing, and renovating is part of who we are at Gerard Construction. We love the excitement of a new project whether it’s helping a new client find land before starting on the perfect architectural drawings or gutting an existing home for an expansion of much-needed space. We also love to hear about our friends and community rolling their sleeves up and getting involved in a few do-it-yourself projects. After all, who knows if you or your child that is helping you might not be the next member of our crew. There are a few tasks and projects that truly need the help of a professional, that is where we step in.
Why would you need the help of a professional?
There are a number of projects in your home that are simply too risky or too costly to try yourself. A home is intended to provide shelter and protection for you and your loved ones and exposing yourself to danger defeats that purpose. The cost associated with doing something yourself can also be prohibitive. While it may seem to cost more to hire out work, the expertise we have gained over the years, in doing tasks and projects multiple times, means savings of your time and potentially, when we avoid costly mistakes, money.
What not to do yourself.
Electrical work- Outside of replacing the batteries on your smoke alarm or switching out a new light bulb, it is best to leave anything involving electrical to the professionals. An electrician knows much more than the average homeowner about the wiring inside your home and can prevent a dangerous mistake or oversight from being left behind your walls. According to realtor.com, there are over 400 deaths per year due to faulty electricity.
Roofing- We know it seems easy, even if it doesn’t seem fun in the hot months of summer, to peel up shingles and replace them with new material. In fact, it’s not the task itself that is the issue, but rather the scale and the logistics of replacing your roof. The pitch of a roof and all of the nooks and crannies can be hard to navigate for the average homeowner. Not to mention the stress of cleanup and making sure everything is watertight.
Tile work- The home improvement shows make it look easy, but laying tile, especially on a floor, is tricky work. Not only is important to make sure your floor is prepared properly, but the layout can be difficult as well. There are often more edges and cuts needed for a tile floor than people realize and there is a bit of finesse that comes in choosing the right place to start.
Removing walls- In all fairness, this actual task is easy and may be considered a little fun, but to remove a wall, you need the help of a professional. Your contractor can help determine if the wall is load-bearing in any way and can evaluate the wall for any wiring or plumbing issues you may run into. These are important factors that need to be considered for a remodel in your home.
Plumbing- Beyond plunging a clog, most homeowners are not familiar enough with their plumbing system to make repairs. President of Mr. Rooter Plumbing, Doyle James says, “ Pipes are complex and very tricky to reassemble, particularly when they’re in close proximity to other plumbing components and machinery, such as dishwashers or garbage disposals.”
If these projects or any other projects are nudging you to be done, give our team at Gerard Construction a call or contact us here. We have the staff, from our master craftsmen to our contractor expertise, to make your renovation or new home build effortless from start to finish.