Comments on: How to ask people for help with home improvement?

By: windancerhil

windancerhil — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:50:59 +0000

I never recommend asking a building professional– no matter how good a friend or relation– to work “for free”. Those people make their living doing stuff like you want done. Not a very good “party” for them. Pay them for their work and they can buy their own pizza! See it from their side? Think about it. What skills do you have to reciprocate?

By: scarecrow

scarecrow — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:53:09 +0000

If they are family and friends just ask for help that’s what family, friends do for each other. just ask.

By: am1benz

am1benz — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 19:28:34 +0000

Yes, this is a effective way of saving money and getting insight into fixing a problem from another perspective. Before sending the invites, make sure you have all the tools needed for a pacticular job. If it’s painting, get brushes, rollers, paint, dropclothes,edgers, scrapers and screwdrivers to remove the cover plates for outlets and switches. All these items should be in the room and ready for the work to proceed. If you hope your invitees bring the tools, it will be a disaster if something is forgotten. Make sure everything is ready to proceed. I wouldn’t mind helping if I knew I wouldn’t have to move all of the furnature around before the project starts. Give your guests a finish goal! Do “this” and your done! If they ask for another project then fine, however only “one” task at a time! If you prep everything you will not have to cater to their needs because it will have been addressed before they arrive. This will allow you to work with your guests. The guests will feel they are not doing all the work when you are also pitching in! Preplan throughly and all will have a good time.

By: dr.smokes

dr.smokes — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:27:09 +0000

well you can always rely on tim the tool man tailor and his benford tools
no seriously, i think the main issue is to determine if you’re good with your hands\handy work, i mean can you actually paint, or fix a broken window or stuff?! cuz if you can’t, you’ll end up with a big mess which will cost you probably more than it will if you hired professionals at the first place.

sure, doing these things by yourself is a great satisfaction, i personally love to do all the small repairs\painting by myself. So, evaluate yourself and determine if you can do these things by yourself or not.

as for the part of inviting friends and family, DON’T!!!
“too many cooks will ruin the meal” you’ll end up with a bunch of people all with good intentions but all with different points of view on how things need to be done… just imagine the consequences!

best of luck with your decision.

By: dartagnanpluck

dartagnanpluck — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:41:32 +0000

Thant depends on your friends and how handy/skilled they are. I wouldn’t want too many of my friends working on my house. It would get really messed up.