C14 - Home Modifications DIY

You can arrange and pay for modifications to be made to your home or make the modifications yourself.

Pros

• Doing modifications yourself gives you much more flexibility and control over the whole process - You decide on the cost and the 'look' of the modifications. You choose how and when they are completed. You select the tradespeople you want to use.
• Family or friends may be able to do some or all of the modifications, although work involving electrical or plumbing matters must be completed by qualified tradespeople.

Cons

• You must plan, organise and pay for all modifications yourself.
• It may be hard to find the right information about useful designs and products.
• You need to understand how to do building work.
• It can be difficult to understand and talk with tradespeople about what you want them to do.

What do I need in order to take this option?

You need to have the time, energy and money to plan, organise and undertake modifications to your home.

For more information

• Lifemark New Zealand provides advice on house designs to make homes easy and safe to live in. It also operates a certification system for homes of a high standard of accessibility. See: www.lifemark.co.nz
• Home Modification Information (HMinfo) Clearinghouse information service, Australia, offers useful advice for those wanting to install modifications themselves. See: www.homemods.info