The beer economy is alive and kicking, but is it worth swapping a beer slab for a concrete slab when the latter could take months and months to finish?
Well-intentioned but short of time
It seems like a good idea in principle – why fork out thousands of dollars to professionals when you have a stack of tradie mates who have the skills and know-how to get your renovation job done? But do they have the time? This is probably the biggest problem with hiring a friend to help you out with your renovations. They may be well-intentioned, but unfortunately, when they’re working for you out of hours, other “life” tasks normally take priority, and your renovations are the first thing to be put on the back burner.
Beggars can’t be demanding
You need to get your new timber floor laid before your in-laws come to stay next month, but it’s not looking very likely. How are you supposed to hurry up a friend who is doing you a favour without sounding like a thankless nag? Even if everything is above board and you’re paying standard rates, it can be difficult and awkward to communicate with friends who are working for you. The last thing you want is for things to get heated and end in a huge disagreement. This doesn’t bode well for your renovation project – or your friendship!
Who are you gonna call?
When work is undertaken by a paid professional, it typically comes with a bunch of guarantees. You get receipts and official-looking papers, which you can file away for reference in case anything goes wrong down the track. If your tradie mate scored your rangehood “off the back of a truck”, chances are it didn’t come with any warranties, and you’ll be stuck paying for any repairs if anything goes wrong down the track.
Paying the price
Our businesses have told us that they spend a lot of time completing half-done renovations. It’s often harder and more expensive to work out how to salvage incomplete renovations that have been abandoned than it is starting from scratch. “If you or a mate starts a reno on your own and can’t complete it, then expect a trade to come to the rescue. Be prepared to pay the full price. 9 out of 10 households usually do it wrong. It’s not easy trying to fix stuff up. I’d rather start from new where it’s much easier to deal with,” says Allan Bayad from Handyman-Tastic.
So save yourself the hassle of hiring your tradie mate and pay a professional to get the job done right – and on time. Get quotes from qualified local builders now.
