What is the better option? Getting a contractor to do your waterproofing or to do the
waterproofing yourself? In this section you are going to learn the following:
- Challenges of diy waterproofing
- Savings and possible losses of doing it yourself
- Security and reliability of professional workmanship
- Money you will
Challenges of diy waterproofing
Let's use a common scenario like a leaking roof. Ok. So one morning you wake up after a heavy
nights rain, walk into your living room and realize there's and huge wet spot on your ceiling and
water running out the cornice down the living room wall. The first thing you do if Google
waterproofing to find a contractor. They come out to your house, assess the situation and qoute
you accordingly. In the qoute they specify all the areas they are going to work and guarantee.
When you see the price you realize it's much more than you thought it would be. I mean this is not
exactly a luxury you're spending your money on so why pay that price. After getting two more
qoutes you realize that that's the going rate for a contractor and that you're not just getting ripped
off. You then decide to go the do it your self route. After all you are a bit of a handy man and you've
done far more difficult projects on your house than waterproofing.
If you want to waterproof your roof yourself you have to know which materials you will need for the
project. If you've never done a project like this before you more than likely won't know what
materials to buy or which one is the best to use. Some materials are cheaper than others for a
good reason and that reason is you get what you pay for. Most shops won't send you to another
shop with the right products, after All they are there to make sales. Big companies put their sales
people under a lot of pressure to make target so they must sell as much as they can.
Below I've given a list of products that are the best to use for diy waterproofing:
- Bitumen Primer
- Torch-on 4mm Viapol
- Silvacote (Aluminium paint)
- Acrylic ST (To paint torch-on system)
If you're up for the challenge you can purchase these products from us. The primer, Silvacote and
Acrylic St come in 1L, 5L, 20L. Click here to get prices and advice on these products.
Benefits of Doing It Yourself
If you're going to attempt to do the waterproofing yourself you will end up benefiting in the following
ways:
- You will save money
- Learn how to do waterproofing for future leaks
- Build a bit a knowledge on the products you use
- Broaden your handy man skills
Downside of Doing It Yourself
While doing it yourself will save you money there are also other factors that you need to consider
that might cost you more money than you would save.
- If the roof still leaks after you've tried to waterproof it you will have to pay a waterproofing
contractor to come out and fix your roof.
- You might damage other part of the roof while attempting to waterproof it.
- You might use more materials than needed to actually do the job.
- You will waste a lot of time due to lack of experience
Benefits of using a waterproofing contractor
- Waterproofing contractors have years of experience
- If the area of the roof where the contractors worked on is still leaking they will come back to
fix the problem.
- Contractors are much more efficient
- Waterproofing contractors don't waste materials
- Contractors have all the right tools (Gas burner, gas bottle, sticker, safety gloves etc.)
Remember than a waterproofing contractor has already paid his school fees. You will make
mistakes when you're in a trade but in time you learn to perfect the art of that trade. When you
use a contractor to do the waterproofing on your roof you hire him with years of experience and
a knack for the trade. He has all the right tools to do the job as well and is very skilled at using
them. The diy enthusiast could probably invest in cheaper burner to do the job but he still has to
learn the art of torching. Like with all trades may it be kitchens, roofing, tiling, plumbing and so on
there is some skill needed to use the tolls for that job. You will hire a waterproofing contractor with
all that skill and experience to do the job. What a load of your shoulders!
Perfect Practice Makes Perfect
Did you know that many builders don't have a clue how to do waterproofing that's why so many
roofs of houses leak after they've been built. Just because they're in the building trade doesn't
mean they can do waterproofing. Why? Because it's a specialized trade and waterproofing
contractors have to do it every day to keep their skills sharpened.
If you would like to speak to a waterproofing contractor to give you advice click here or if you would
like to do it yourself click here.
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