You can only sit on the couch and look at the hole in the wall for so long without having to get up and fix it.People have learned their hidden handyman talents in the midst of extended stay-at-home orders. Assembling a new set of shelves may be a welcome challenge, but think twice before demolishing the outdated bathroom if you don’t have much experience, expert suggest.
“Take it slow if you haven’t done large projects, you’re going to want to start with smaller ones,” advises Jim Dutton, host of Texas Home Improvement, heard on KTRH weekends, Saturdays 2 to 4 and Sundays 2 to 3. “Research before you tackle a large project.”
It’s been a boon for the big home improvement retailers, Lowes CEO Marvin Ellison saying his company has seen increases in sales across all categories.What are people buying?Top of the list is a new refrigerator, maybe not surprising given the number of trips we’ve been making to the kitchen. Door locks are moving out the door as people worry about safety.And being home so much, many residents have decided that constantly running toilet or dripping faucet finally needs to be fixed.Plumbing supplies are selling well, and that’s the type of project Dutton is suggesting. “They’re changing out faucets, they’re putting in new light fixtures, fixing up the outside, doing a lot of painting.Things they can do themselves.”
Dutton suggests this isn’t a bad time to consider tackling those bigger projects, since you’re there and in a position to learn, but suggests hiring a professional contractor to manage it.Among the people who have been sidelined by the pandemic are contractors, so they’ve got time on their hands as well, and experience, and knowledge.