Home reno shows ruining reno expectations
Experts have claimed that home renovation shows are damaging to the business of tradies, as well as making their job, and the overall result of the work, much more difficult.
More than a third of tradies, at 37 per cent, told find a tradie website ServiceSeeking that quick DIY jobs, such as House Rules and The Block, are creating unrealistic expectations for time frames in the minds of renovators and owners in need of repairs.
“Reality TV is far from the normal reality of most, and the plethora of reality renovation shows on Australian television is no exception,” said ServiceSeeking CEO Jeremy Levitt.
“They idolise quick turnaround jobs that in the real world take much longer, which in turn places unrealistic time expectations on tradespeople and often ends with frustrated home owners.”
In addition, 10 per cent said that during the airing of latest seasons of popular reno shows, jobs dry up because owners are attempting DIY work. But Mr Levitt said that in order to see the best possible reno work, experts should always be consulted.
“It’s a no-brainer for me choosing a quality tradesperson to carry out renovation works,” the CEO said. “Why would you spend hours choosing the paint colour or thousands on the tile pattern of your dreams to then ‘save’ money by attempting to do something you’ve never done before and risk stuffing it up.”
According to property educator Cherie Barber of Renovating for Profit, there are some works that can be DIY’d, but there are others that should be strictly left to the professionals.
“Things like tiling, you should leave to a professional tiler. Floor sanding should be left to a professional floor sander. Things like cement rendering, an average Joe should never attempt to cement render their house — it’s going to look like a really bad baked cake,” Ms Barber told Smart Property Investment.
Meanwhile, more aesthetic tasks like painting and garden work can easily be done DIY.
“Painting your house internally, most Australians can handle that… things like paving paint, painting a driveway, laminate painting or tile painting your bathroom, those changes you can do DIY. Planting plants, laying turf, they’re the sort of things you can be doing DIY if budget is truly on the tight side,” Ms Barber said.
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