Many of you have heard the adage that success is 90% preparation and 10% perspiration. This is certainly true in the home maintenance and repair business. One of the things that separates the professionals from the DIY crowd, and the ‘work fast and cheap crowd’, is the level of prep work.
When painting a room, for example, preparation entails moving the furniture and protecting the floors. It means removing the picture hooks, filling those holes, and repairing any other wall damage. It then means wiping down any repaired spots to remove the dust, and then priming those spots. Finally, it means wiping down the top of the baseboard at the bottom of the wall, as that is where dust settles, and we do not want any dust to get into the paint during cut-in work.
Now that we have a repaired, clean, smooth, primed wall, the painting can begin. The first step to painting the walls is the cut-in work around doors, windows, the ceiling, and trim. Rolling the walls is the easy part of the project once everything else is done. All that preparation has a huge impact on the finished outcome of the work. It looks professionally done.
Many DIY types want to jump right to the painting step, as this is the chore they need to get done. It is exciting to see the new paint color on the walls and how it transforms the room. So, they skip the wipe down and paint around the picture hooks, which often leaves paint running down the wall. Their work does not have the fit and finish of a professional, because they did not prepare like a professional.
The same can be said for many home maintenance and repair efforts. Layout is essential for tile work. Leveling may be required prior to laying flooring. Crack isolation may also be required prior to laying flooring. Priming the edges of siding prior to installation (when the edges are harder to access) will help it last longer. All caulking should be done prior to painting.
The quality of the finished project often goes back to steps taken at the start of the project to prepare for a successful outcome. There is nothing particularly difficult about the preparation, one must simply be disciplined not to jump ahead. Seeing the backsplash, new flooring, or paint on the walls is the exciting part of the project – it is why you are doing the project – but you will be much happier with your result if you start with the required prep work first. It is a bit more work but will yield the best result.
Or, you can get professional results on a wide variety of home improvement, home maintenance and repair projects by simply calling Mr. Handyman Serving Greater Jacksonville. There is simply no one like us!
