If you’re a homeowner who enjoys taking care of and improving your most important investment, you’re likely not shy about tackling painting, wallpapering or gardening projects. Many of us are Do-It-Yourselfers because we enjoy it, or don’t mind the extra effort because it saves us time and money.
But, did you know homeowners-as-Do-It-Yourselfers is a trend that’s expanded thanks to the growth, quality and availability of online video? Folks seeking to save a little coin, or to avoid the hassle of hiring and monitoring someone who specializes in a particular skill not only are saying, “Hey, I can do that,” they’re using their laptop, tablet or smart phone as a learning library to do so. Read on for guidance about how to become your own digitally-inspired subcontractor.
First, Hit the Web
You already know this. That celebrity chef whose foodstuff you love? You’ve watched videos of him or her preparing a favorite recipe on a website. Searching for how-to knowledge for home projects is the same thing.
So, call up a search window. Type the topic you’d like guidance on — say, installing a new kitchen faucet — and scan the results. Chances are great you’ll find video by a plumbing products company, a home improvement warehouse, a plumber in your town or a regular person like you, who’s showing you how to do it step-by-step on video. And, you didn’t have to take hours and hours of classes. Can’t be beat, right?
YouTube Isn’t the Only Option
The video aggregate site, which debuted in 2005, is the best-known repository of how-to tutorials. But, it’s hardly the only one. Let’s say you want to install a sizable backyard pond and need to learn to operate a backhoe. Search for companies that manufacturer backhoes. Search for companies that rent backhoes. Search for home improvement stores. Search for schools that teach construction trades. See what we mean?
Discern What You Learn
If you’re searching for and learning from online videos, you’ll want to be your own quality-control agent, of course. Take YouTube, where your simple kitchen-faucet search might yield thousands of results. Open a fresh search window. Plug in the YouTuber’s names that caught your attention. You’ll soon know whether those people or companies are (A) legitimate and (B) truly helpful.
Get Started With This Popular Mechanics Roundup
Popular Mechanics magazine’s 2015 list of “9 Great DIY YouTube Channels” is a fun and enlightening rundown of people who tackle their own projects, or, are proficient in both common and uncommon skills. If you’re new to how-to videos, this is an entertaining introduction.
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