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We live in an era in which many home-owners would look to carry out repairs to their property, but the harsh truth is that we all need to know our own limitations. Many of us like to think that we know all there is to know about how an electrician, a plumber or a carpenter […]
We live in an era in which many home-owners would look to carry out repairs to their property, but the harsh truth is that we all need to know our own limitations. Many of us like to think that we know all there is to know about how an electrician, a plumber or a carpenter would do things, but that will never make us accredited experts.
If you ask many specialists about people who carry out their own maintenance tasks, the chances are they will relate tales of when things went badly wrong, and how they were then called in to make matters right. Needless to say, examples like these will make most of us realise that we need the help of those in the know at times.
The problem for many home-owners is often a case of an inflated ego getting in the way of their perceptions. Even the most skilled amateur should be able to admit when they require some assistance, and when the time is right to pick up the phone and contact a local electrician who knows how best to remedy a particular situation.
Even aside from the work that needs to be carried out, sometimes we are in need of some official accreditation, and that can only be provided by certified people and bodies. These include a microgeneration certification scheme, which pertains to compliance to the relevant industry standards that are currently in place.
Being eager is not the same as being completely competent
From changing a light bulb to replacing an entire kitchen, you will find thousands of eager amateurs at work in homes across the world on a daily basis. Their levels of expertise will differ from person to person, no doubt, but you have to admire their can-do spirit, especially if they arenot overly keen to perform all of these tasks.
It may be that the increasing popularity of DIY shows on the TV has led to a rise in the number of men and women who feel they may not need an expert after all. This may seem to be understandable to some, but if they take on more than they can really handle in the first place the end result may be more of a hindrance than a help.
If you own your own home and you are thinking about doing a spot of DIY in the coming days, you need to think long and hard before you start the job. Ask yourself a few questions about your competency, and take a moment to consider what might happen if you are unable to finish the task to the standard that you would expect.
