Build it or Buy it? Making Improvements to Your Fowler, CO Home

You have just become the owner of your first home in Fowler, CO. You are nervous because you spent a lot of money on your down payment, but you are excited about your mortgage premiums serving as an investment as you gain equity in the coming years. You are moved in and settled with all the boxes being unpacked. 

Now, it is time to think about making changes to the house. In most cases, homebuyers do not move into properties that are perfect in their eyes. It is very hard to find a home that has everything you want for a good price. This is why home improvement is such a massive industry. Owners are always looking for ways to execute their visions in their homes. 

One of the key decisions to make for any project is whether to do it yourself or pay someone else. In a way, you can break it down to this simple concept; should you build it, or should you buy it? Let’s take a look at some projects you could tackle to improve your Fowler, CO home and whether or not DIY is the way to go.

Deck

Decks are important elements of a house. They are attached to the home and serve as a middle ground between the interior spaces and the yard. Whether or not you should build the deck itself depends on your capabilities and the scope of the project. If you have done enough research on the building codes in Fowler, and you are competent enough to design a strong frame, then you could easily build a smaller deck yourself with a few helping hands.

However, if your deck is going to be very large and you lack the tools for measuring, cutting, and fastening decking materials, then calling in some professionals makes more sense. The frame is the hardest part to get right, so lacking knowledge in designing a strong foundation will necessitate hiring contractors. 

Workshop

Every enthusiastic DIYer needs a place to store tools and work on their projects. For most, this means a workshop that is somewhat secluded from the rest of the home. In many cases, you may want to turn your garage into a functional workshop so that you can choose to build things more often. Designing a functional garage that doubles as a workshop requires storage, flat surfaces, lighting, ventilation, and plenty of space for maneuvering.

You can design and build the workshop yourself if you choose the right materials for the layout. Since this space is designed for working, not living, it does not necessarily need the professional touch of a contractor. 

Storage Shed

As a homeowner, you may have a lot of possessions that need to be stored. If you are invested in lawn maintenance, then many of those items cannot be stored in the house, such as lawnmowers or garden tools. A storage shed is a helpful structure that lets you keep outside equipment where it belongs without exposing it to all the elements.

The question is whether you should build a shed or buy it ready-made. If you are an accomplished carpenter and have the time, then building a shed is perfectly reasonable. Codes are much more lax for these structures since they serve purely as storage. However, you can also find storage sheds for sale that are pre-built so that you can have them installed right away. 

End Tables

Throughout your home, multiple rooms can benefit from some end tables or nightstands. These simple pieces of furniture can enhance the decor of the room, provide more surfaces for food, drink, lanterns, or other items, and provide some extra storage with small drawers.

Since they are relatively small, even an inexperienced DIYer could construct a functional piece with some help from the Internet. You can easily look up home improvement how-to guides on YouTube or in PDF formats to provide step-by-step processes for putting together sturdy end tables or nightstands. Then, you have something to brag about when people come over and make use of these small pieces of furniture. 

Decide Between Building or Buying Based on Knowledge, Tools, Time, and Money

If you are considering making improvements to your home in Fowler, CO, there are a lot of factors that must be analyzed. Do you have the money to pay for labor costs for a particular project? Do you lack the knowledge to tackle an improvement on your own? Are the tools in your garage enough to complete the job safely? Do you have the time to commit to this project?

Answering these questions should help you decide whether you can build the feature yourself or you should buy it ready-made or have a contractor do it. This short list is just a tiny picture of the many possibilities in your home that could be improved, so find your inspiration through research and make the right decision between building things yourself or buying them.