DIY can be a great way to improve your home within a budget and give yourself the satisfaction of doing a good job you can be proud of.
Most of us have some experience of decorating, putting up a shelf, assembling a wardrobe, or even hanging a new light. These are the kind of jobs that, with just a little practice, most of us can have a good go at.
But there are other jobs that don’t lend themselves to a DIY approach. Jobs that need need skill and the right experience to make sure they are done safely, look right and work properly. You wouldn’t install a boiler or re-wire a house if you didn’t really know what you were doing. Thats why insurance companies insist that certain kinds of work are only carried out by qualified professionals. Roofing is one of these jobs.
Attempting to carry out roofing work yourself can lead to problems for several reasons:
1. How Much Do You Actually Know?
Owning a set of tools and watching a few YouTube videos is no match for years of training and gaining practical skills.
A roofing repair is not simply about dealing with the obvious problem in front of you. Its also about understanding the causes and other effects the repair can have. If tiles have slipped its not just a matter of putting them back into place. Why did they slip? Is it a symptom of some more serious structural damage that needs dealing with as well? What is the right solution? Is there a way to carry out the repair that will prevent later problems? Will the repair cope with water run-off in the right way? Are you using the right sealant or paint for your local climate?
These are all important issues that need to be understood.
2. Are You Really Saving Money?
A skilled roofer understands the materials and tools he is working with, and what works best for each job he takes on.
Without the right experience, and the right techniques, you may end up buying materials and tools you don’t need. Roofers already own tools and have a stock of the materials. You could end up paying for materials and only using a small part of them. The rest will sit wasting away in your garage.
In the other direction, using the wrong tools and materials may mean you actually make the problem worse and end up fixing the bad repair at a later date as well. In this case it would be cheaper to get the job done properly in the first place.
You also need to think about your own time. A roofer will carry out the work quickly and efficiently. Is it really worth the investment of your own time, which could be considerably more?
3. Will it Look Good?
If a roof repair is not done well, it can stand out like a sore thumb.
While it may keep the water out, if you don’t use the right materials and techniques for the repair to blend properly with the rest of the roof, it can have a real impact on how the property looks.
4. It is Dangerous
Clambering around at height does have risks. A fall can result in life changing injuries or even be fatal. Crashing through a weak roof into the loft can really hurt you, as well as cause very expensive damage.
Much of the work involves moving heavy items at awkward angles while maintaining your balance. As well as learning the correct ways to work safely at height across roofs, roofers work with the correct harnesses and safety equipment.
5. Warranties
Most roofing work and products come with a warranty. If a qualified roofer doesn’t do the work, this will not be valid. Also, doing work yourself may also void any existing warranties that may be in place. So, saving a few pounds at the time could result in a major expense in the future if you have other problems that need dealing with.