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I am absolutely amazed at what you can find on Youtube these days.  It used to be that we had to buy the product and read the instruction before we could get an idea of how to do something.  Now anybody can go to Youtube and find just about anything you are looking for.  You want to learn how to install a new GFCI outlet in your bathroom, or how to properly paint a room, you can go to Youtube and watch 10 different videos from 10 different people explaining to you how that job is supposed to be done properly.  Of course, if you don’t have the skill sets it really doesn’t matter how many videos you watch, you are just asking for trouble. Over the weekend I was sitting in a gym watching my daughter play badminton and I happened to be sitting in front of a young couple who had just purchased their first home.  They were talking about all of the various items they wanted to do around their house but what intrigued me most was that they were talking about putting up some crown molding in their Living Room and putting hardwood floors in the same room.   Being first time home buyers they were trying to figure out how to save money so they want to do this work themselves so they would not have to hire a contractor and they could save some money.  As they discussed their projects the wife looked over to her husband and said “Honey, when we get home we can just Youtube it and I am sure we can figure it out from there, it cannot be that difficult”.  I was intrigued by their conversation so I turned and introduced myself and then asked them how much home remodeling experience they have actually had.  To my surprise, the only tools they owned fit inside the small tool box the wife got from her father when she moved in to her first apartment.  Between the 2 of them they owned a 12’ tape measure, a phillips and flat head screwdriver, a hammer and a small crescent wrench. I asked them how they planned to complete this work without any tools or knowledge of what needed to be done.  Apparently they have a friend who has a lot of tools they can use and they will rent/buy whatever else is needed.  And of course Youtube will show them the proper procedures for getting the work completed correctly and in a timely manner. I asked if they would be interested in getting a price to have a professional do the work but they responded with “We think we can do this work ourselves and would rather save the money it would cost to hire a professional to do this work.  Besides, it doesn’t look that difficult.”  I handed them my card, shrugged my shoulders, wished them good luck with their efforts and walked away………..knowing I will most likely get a call from them within the next 3 months if they actually do try to do this work themselves.  There is no way these two have the skill set required to complete the projects they want to take on without assistance. Using Youtube as a source of instructions can be a great tool, but using Youtube as your main source of instructions can only lead to problems if you do not have the skill set required to do the project you are trying to complete. If you are going to attempt to do a home remodeling project on your own you should make sure you are somewhat capable of the task at hand.  If not, don’t be afraid to call in a professional to do the job right the first time.  You might actually find that calling in the professional might save you money in the long run.

