Precision: When NOT To Do It Yourself: Door Installation

Do-It-Yourself projects have become a “thing” in the age of YouTube, Social Media, and handyman lessons at your local mom and pop home improvement store.  Projects that you can complete yourself not only save you money, but it allows you to put a personal touch on the projects you create. You can truly make your dreams come true! Whether you are changing the hardware on your sink or making flower pots from milk cartoons, DIY can be worth the time spent to make your project come to life your way. But there’s a word of caution to the DIY tale. EVERYTHING is not DIY compatible. We hate bursting people’s fairy tale bubbles, but some home improvement projects should be saved for a professional. Especially when it comes to installing an exterior door. Continue reading to find out exactly why you should save your toes and hire a pro.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

A lot of people love DIY projects because they love making something their own. The time invested in a project is of no consequence when they know something will turn out the way THEY envisioned it. Well, installing a door might seem like a task that can be wrangled in a few hours, but so much can go awry. A 4-hour project might turn into the whole weekend. When it comes to an exterior door you can’t just put the project down and pick it up in a few days. When you start you need to finish if you don’t want to welcome the neighborhood, animals, and pests into your home to visit. A lot of things can be underestimated when taking on a project this big. A lot of planning needs to be done with an ample amount of time set aside for completion. Things to consider in terms of time include:

1. Thoroughly planning out the project

2. Choosing your materials and picking them up

3. Total time to complete the project

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE MATERIALS

Installing anything as a Do-it-yourselfer requires you to have TOOLS. If you handle a lot of DIY projects, you probably already have a pretty good number of tools in stock. If not, purchasing or renting what you need should go into your budget for a Door installation project.

Tools

1. Screwdriver

2. Hammer

3. Measuring Tape

4. Leveler

5. Pry bar

6. Saw

Materials

1. Nails

2. Screws

3. Expanding Foam

4. Polyurethane caulk

5. Either a Slab Door or a Pre-Hung Door

6. Lumber to create the sill

7. Paint & primer

BE INFORMED

Knowing what your doing is so important when you’re installing an exterior door. If it’s not done right an improper fit can occur. If your door doesn’t fit properly you can be out of more money than you know. Cooled or heated air could escape through the cracks of your ill-fitted door causing massive energy loss. Your door needs a PERFECT fit! How good are your carpentry skills?

BE PREPARED

DIY is attractive to many because you can save money, but if not done properly it can cost you more money than it’s worth. Before you lose more cash than expected, or spend more time than you planned, check with a professional. You might find out that replacing a door is not as expensive as you think. Precision Home and Siding is the perfect company to get you on the right track! Spend your weekend with your family instead of installing a door with no quality guarantees! Call us today 1-888-342-4831.