Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa December / Jan 2016 | Page 39

finally apply an estimate of time to each phase of the project. Accounting for things like dry time for paint is important to keeping your project on schedule. After all, there’s nothing worse than a project taking longer than you expected and then leaving it incomplete. 5. Safety first Having safety gear on-hand and taking extra precautions to protect yourself and your home from a potential DIY disaster is more important than the actual home improvement project itself. Invest in appropriate personal safeguards such as goggles, work gloves, a hard hat and steel toe boots. When it comes to your work environment, make sure your surroundings are clutterfree and valuables are packed away and protected. 6. Don’t skimp on the prep work The anticipation of refreshing kitchen cabinets with a new coat of paint can make it tempting to skimp on the ever-important steps of sanding and priming, but keep in mind that the prep work is arguably 90 percent of the DIY battle. Using prep essentials, such as the proper grit of sand paper and high quality primers to ensure optimal paint adhesion, will ensure that the end results will be successful and long lasting. 7. Pick the right product for the job Whether you’re painting a basement bathroom or a backyard shed, it’s important to investigate and invest in the products and finishes that are designed for the environment that they will be going. There’s a product out there for every situation and substra