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What are the Different Options for do-It-Yourself Home Improvement?

G. Wiesen
G. Wiesen

There are many different options for do-it-yourself home improvement. The types of options that someone may be most interested in will typically depend a great deal on how ambitious a person is and what sorts of skills or abilities he or she has. Someone may also consider what needs to be done to his or her home in addition to what he or she wants to do, and then balance these two factors. Among the wide range of do-it-yourself home improvement options are exterior and interior additions, remodeling kitchens and bathrooms, repainting the interior or exterior, and peripheral outdoor additions such as adding secondary structures, gardens, or water features.

When it comes to do-it-yourself home improvement, the options available to a person will typically depend on a number of factors. One of the most important is a consideration of what a person already knows and what he or she is willing to learn. A professional plumber or carpenter, for example, may be more eager to build a new bathroom since he or she already has some of the necessary skills to accomplish such a project.

Applying a fresh coat of paint is a common DIY home improvement project.
Applying a fresh coat of paint is a common DIY home improvement project.

Someone without any professional training can still take on do-it-yourself home improvement as long as he or she is willing to learn and commit the time necessary to finish the project. With that in mind, there are a number of projects that can be done within a reasonable time frame by anyone with the inclination to do so. Interior and exterior additions are some of the most common and popular types of home improvement. Adding a new bedroom inside a house, building on a garage, and creating a deck or patio are all projects that can be accomplished within a single season.

Remodeling the exterior of a home can result in a dramatic change.
Remodeling the exterior of a home can result in a dramatic change.

Remodeling existing rooms is also a great do-it-yourself home improvement project. These types of projects can require less construction, since the structure of the room will often stay the same, but can still yield dramatic results. Kitchens and bathrooms are among the most popular rooms for these types of projects, since sinks, toilets, appliances, and hardware can all be changed out fairly easily. Repainting the inside or outside of a home can also be a popular choice, since such projects can be finished in only a handful of days and can also create striking changes to a home.

Plumbing repairs and upgrades are common DIY home improvement projects.
Plumbing repairs and upgrades are common DIY home improvement projects.

Other types of outdoor additions to a house can also be fun and rewarding do-it-yourself home improvement projects. Building a shed or play house, making a swimming pool or pond, creating a garden, and adding a fountain or waterfall to an existing yard are all projects that can be completed by someone with the desire to do so. These types of projects can require more time and often need good weather as well, so they are usually done over a summer and may involve several weeks or months of work to complete.

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    • Applying a fresh coat of paint is a common DIY home improvement project.
      By: GoodMood Photo
      Applying a fresh coat of paint is a common DIY home improvement project.
    • Remodeling the exterior of a home can result in a dramatic change.
      By: Dennis Oblander
      Remodeling the exterior of a home can result in a dramatic change.
    • Plumbing repairs and upgrades are common DIY home improvement projects.
      By: Nomad_Soul
      Plumbing repairs and upgrades are common DIY home improvement projects.
    • Those who don't have professional training must be willing to take the time necessary to completge a home improvement project.
      By: bonniemarie
      Those who don't have professional training must be willing to take the time necessary to completge a home improvement project.