Many handymen do renovating jobs around the home to save money, and this can certainly work out well if you have the time and the energy as well as the expertise. If you are an experienced handyman, you may be considering installing the timber floors in your home by yourself. How hard can it be, right? However, there are many points to consider apart from how hard the job might be.
• Tools: For a start, installing timber flooring properly requires many tools that the average handyman is not likely to have, or be familiar with using. It is essential to be able to use such tools well if the job is going to be done properly. Your floor is an important part of your home and if it is not installed professionally, expensive problems can result – floorboards that squeak being just one of them. Hiring the tools will also add to the expense.
• Materials: The material is expensive, so if you bungle to job and have to buy more, you will not save anything by attempting to doing it yourself. It is essential to get it right, and cutting the boards to fit around things such as cupboards, wardrobes, fireplaces or stairways is not as easy as it looks. If you run out of boards and have to order more, it may be impossible to get the exact same shade and pattern – or finish, if it has been factory-finished.
• Knowledge: Even though you have had experience as a handyman, you may not know certain things that are important to laying a floor. Knowing how to centre each room and ensure it is all level before you start are just as important as knowing how to test for moisture. The latter also requires special tools that most handymen do not have. The subfloor must also be tested for moisture.
• Time: If you work every day, spending all your weekends, your time and energy installing the floors will give you little time to relax and get ready for your next week of work. It will also take longer, meaning that you will be paying rent for longer while you wait for the job to be done.
So when you consider these things, it’s likely that you will see why leaving this job to the professionals is a smart choice. Professional timber floor installers, like ours at Thrust Floors can have the job done in less than half the time – and will guarantee the result.
Call us today on 02 9533 9577 to discuss your timber flooring project.
