I honestly don’t know if I would have tackled this remodel on my own, like I did, without the internet! I had already learned many lessons from an ex boyfriend (and my own really bad choices) on how NOT to remodel a home but still… A decade ago we couldn’t google a plumbing problem at 4am to find a thousand videos of people before us having had the same problem. I did buy several books of course and I did come into this with eyes pretty much wide open from my past mistakes.
But still, without the internet I have NO IDEA how I would have accomplished the renovation of my Grandma’s house. So, I’m really glad this contributed post mentioned that very thing! Have a question nowadays and its a thirty second google search away.
(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)
Over the last decade or so, there has been quite an increase in the number of people who have become interested in buying distressed properties, rehabbing the home and then reselling it in the hope of turning a profit. This can be a very lucrative endeavor if you know what you are doing.
The problem is that many of the people who have this dream of rehabbing and flipping homes really don’t know much about remodeling homes.
Due to the popularity of television shows that focus on building houses and other home repairs, people think it is much easier than it actually is.
This can cause some people to lose money on their investment because they don’t know about many unforeseen difficulties that can arise when rehabbing a property. The following are some of the ways that you can learn about remodeling a home.
Get Educated
Probably the easiest way to learn as much as you can about building a home and performing home repairs is to go to school for it.
There are numerous universities and trade schools that offer degrees and certificates in everything from electrical work or plumbing to earning a degree in building construction. Many four-year universities offer a Bachelor Degree in Building Construction or Construction Management.
There are also online programs aimed at people who already have construction experience like contractortrainingcenter.com, which can help you get your general contractor’s license.
Whether you attend a school or enroll in an online program, these are excellent ways to learn many of the most important aspects of building and remodeling homes.
Visit Your Local Hardware Store
Many of the biggest hardware store chains like Home Depot, Lowes or Ace Hardware offer classes and workshops where they will teach participants how to perform specific home repairs.
Many of these classes are aimed at homeowners who may not be comfortable working on their home themselves just yet.
These types of workshops can cover all aspects of home repair and remodel from easier tasks like installing a tile backsplash in the kitchen to more complicated jobs like making electrical repairs. While these classes won’t make you ready to do these types of jobs professionally, they are a great way for homeowners to save on the costs of hiring a professional to perform the job for you.
This way, homeowners can spend that money to make more repairs on their own.
Look to the Internet
One of the best things about the internet is that websites like YouTube have all sorts of videos that show viewers how to perform all kinds of jobs. You can find videos showing you how to make car repairs, fix your computer, make home repairs and many others.
Some of the videos explain these repairs in great detail. In fact, these videos have been so helpful that there are several instances of people who were able to take the knowledge they gained from these videos and use it to build their own homes themselves.
Get a Job
Another way to learn how to do certain home repairs is to get a job working as an assistant to a contractor or repairman. This way you will get hands-on experience in a specific field like AC work or installing windows.
While this may not teach you everything about fixing a home, you will become more than competent to make repairs in the area you are working in. In theory, you could take different jobs every few years. Eventually, you would be pretty good at performing all sorts of repairs.
Fixing up a home can be very rewarding and give you a sense of self-satisfaction. The key to making quality home repairs (and in a remodel) is learning the right way to do these jobs.
This way the repairs you make will not only add value to your home, but they will be repairs that will last for years to come.
(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)