Common Mistakes People Make On DIY Home Renovations Projects
Most people look to renovate their houses in the summer, and a lot of people feel they are equipped to handling it themselves. However, a home renovation involves more than just taking a sledgehammer and bringing down the walls.
A home could contain hazardous building materials and removing it to avoid contamination may require specialist equipment. Failing to do so could have severe effects on your health and safety.
By working with a professional team that tests your home before taking on the renovation, you will be aware of the hazards that your home contains. Very often, people ignore this vital step and end up having to spend a lot more money due to an earlier oversight.
To help you avoid any errors that could prove to be costly, here’s a list of the most common mistakes people make when handling DIY home renovation projects.
1. Assuming their home does not contain hazardous building materials.
Homeowners are not always aware that hazardous materials exist in homes built before the 1990’s. To keep yourself and your family safe, research, and when in doubt, test building materials in your home for things like asbestos, lead and fungal contamination before you begin tearing things apart.
2. Assuming they know which building products may contain hazardous materials.
Uncle Joe is not an expert in this field. There are literally hundreds of building products that contain asbestos, always hire a professional for assessment and testing.
3. Believing that they can do everything themselves.
Saving money doing the work yourself is good, and there are many sources of information on doing home renovations and DIY projects. However, not all sources are correct or comprehensive enough to ensure the quality of work or safety. Do your research and planning to increase the quality of work rather than decrease the value of your home. The issue of hazardous materials removal in a home requires specialized equipment and process to prevent cross-contamination or release of hazardous materials into your home which can put your entire family at risk.
4. Not verifying the qualifications of a hazardous materials contractor.
A hazardous materials contractor must have the necessary qualifications. This includes but is not limited to proper insurance (general and pollution liability), WCB (account in good standing), safety compliance (OH&S, legislated standards), training of personnel (asbestos worker, first aid, etc.), third-party monitoring and clearances (environmental consultant).
5. Assuming that contractors or subcontractors (i.e., flooring contractors) actually know and test for hazardous materials before they begin work.
A person should be able to rely on a contractor to know their stuff, however, that is not always the case. Far too many times we have been called in to clean up a disaster after a contractor failed to fulfill their responsibilities and test building materials before starting work.
If you're planning a home renovation or want to test your current home for hazardous materials, reach out to the experts at Advanced Remediation Solutions. We have been working on removing mold and asbestos from residential and commercial structures since 2004 with our business spread across Alberta. We have a team of trained and experienced, on-site personnel which reduces expensive rework or recurrences due to carelessness. Before we begin, we provide you with the exact pricing and a detailed scope of the work. For a complete list of services we offer, please click here. If you have any questions about Advanced Remediation Solutions, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.
