Why bother to DIY it...?

 There are pros and cons to DIY and who knows, you might read this and realise that the DIY option might just be worth it after all.

 

 

 

 

Here in South Africa, do-it-yourself is a growing trend as more and more people realise the benefits of DIY. But why would you want to DIY when you can buy it? Why do your own home improvements when someone can do it for you? Why fix it yourself when you can hire a contractor? There are pros and cons to DIY and who knows, you might read this and realise that the DIY option might just be worth it after all.

 

 

I personally DIY for many reasons:

 

 

Make it

DIY allows me to make items that fit in with my home as far as shape size and colour are concerned. Buying a ready-made item doesn't always give you that many choices - you either like it or you don't. Plus, you can make knock-off designer furniture at the fraction of what it costs to buy in a store.

Let's take for example the Dhurrie rug pouf that was recently featured on Home-Dzine.

Why would someone want to make this project...?

- Firstly would be the cost factor. Using a couple of rugs that cost around R150 each, and a few hours over a weekend or in the evenings, you have a pouf that would have cost in the region of R2600.

- Secondly would be that you can choose the rugs you want to use
for this project and not be limited by ready-made designs.

- Thirdly is the fact that these poufs are not available locally and have to be ordered from an overseas supplier.

Fix or Improve it

The joy and sense of accomplishment for making or fixing something myself is one that I enjoy. When I feature a completed project on Home-Dzine - even one that might not be visually good to look at, like replacing the wax seal at the back of the toilet, or refreshing grubby tile grout I know that I did it myself and saved money in the process.

Apart from saving money on small home repair and fix-up projects - who are you going to get to do them for you? You would
have to take the time to find a reputable handyman and there's still no guarantees.

I don't have to wait for anyone to do it for me. If I decide to frame my doors and corners - a project that is coming soon - I can take my time and not have to worry about how much it's going to cost me. 

 

 

Repurpose it

I can upcycle, repurpose, reuse and restore almost any item for my home, or as a project for the website or online magazine. I love doing these projects, and while I might not keep them myself, I do experience the self-satisfaction of having done the job and seeing the end result.

 

 

At the DIY Divas Career Workshop yesterday one of the ladies brought up an interesting point. Visit a country such as the U.S, Europe or Australia and you will be amazed at how many workshops and courses you can attend on topics such as tiling, making furniture, building and plastering, etc. There is a growing need for information on DIY, home maintenance and home repair.

 

 

Here in SA, the DIY Divas and Home-Dzine offer a wide range of courses and information on DIY topics. These courses and features are designed to provide as much information as possible for anyone wanting to fix it, make it or DIY it.

 

 

 

 

As an example: The guys and gals that attending our Kitchen Cabinet Workshop now have the knowledge to make their own kitchen cabinets from scratch. Yes, building your own kitchen would be time consuming and laborious, but if it saved you in excess of R50,000, wouldn't it be worth it...?

 

 

Of course, DIY is not for everyone and you may not see the benefits of spending your leisure time crafting and creating when you can afford to pay for someone else to do it or make it for you. If you already have a hobby or craft that fills your leisure time, or prefer to do nothing over the weekends, then DIY is not for you. If you do decide to DIY it, a certain amount of investment is required to set yourself up with the right tools and equipment. Just like starting out with a new craft or hobby, you will need a set of basic power tools, hand tools and some DIY savvy. If you have no idea how to... sign up for a DIY Divas Workshop and learn the basics, or page through the many varied topics on the Home-Dzine website.