Two Types of Renovation Activities That Must Always Be Carried Out by a Professional

Posted on: 26 January 2018

Renovation projects can be extremely costly; because of this, a lot of homeowners who decide to renovate their properties choose to carry out some of the work themselves, rather than hiring tradespeople to do it. In most cases, this is a sensible approach which can save a person a lot of money.

However, there are certain types of renovation activities that should only ever be performed by a qualified professional. Read on to find out what these activities are.

Asbestos removal

If the property you are renovating was built many years ago and you have been informed that it was constructed with asbestos, you should not attempt to tear out or disturb the features of the house that you suspect may contain this substance.

Instead, you should get in touch with a licensed asbestos removal specialist and arrange for them to remove this material on your behalf.

Attempting to carry out the removal process yourself, without any assistance from a qualified professional, could be extremely dangerous.

You could potentially end up inhaling asbestos particles which might significantly increase your chances of developing serious, life-threatening conditions, such as pleural plaque, pneumoconiosis and mesothelioma, in a few years' time.

Depending on which state the property is located in, removing the asbestos by yourself could also be illegal. In this situation, you could end up being taken to court and receiving a large fine.

When these risks are taken into account, the cost of hiring a licensed asbestos removalist to take care of this job seems like a worthwhile expense.

Waterproofing

If you are having your bathroom renovated, it is critical to hire a qualified tradesperson to waterproof the room.

The reason for this is as follows. Waterproofing work is quite difficult and requires a considerable amount of skill and an eye for detail.

If you try to do it yourself and accidentally leave a small gap when sealing the shower, sink or toilet area, you could end up dealing with major water damage in the future.

A small but continuous drip could, over the course of a few months, lead to the development of wet rot fungus on your house's structural framework. This, in turn, could result in major structural problems (it could, for example, cause cracks to develop in the walls or cause the roof to sag).

Repairing this type of damage can take months and cost thousands of dollars. As such, it would be far more economical to hire a waterproofer who will be able to seal the bathroom properly and thus prevent your home from sustaining any water damage.

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