Welcome to DIY Connection!
Hey everyone!
My name is Joe, and I am one of the founders of DIY Connection. I wanted to start off our blog series with an intro of who we are, what we do, and what our goal is. Our website covers the basics, but I’d like to go into more details here. Hopefully you’ll stick around!
Who are we?
As I already mentioned, my name is Joe. I have been in the construction industry professionally for about 15 years now. However, my passion for construction goes way back to my Lego’s and Lincoln Log days as a child. Throughout my career, I have worked as a laborer, carpenter, superintendent, project manager, and inspector in various segments of the residential, commercial, and industrial construction industries. Residential construction is by far my favorite simply because it’s more personally impactful on a family’s life. With that being said, commercial and industrial construction have far better systems and more organization in place. One of those systems being a professional who looks out for the best interest of the client, known as a “construction manager” or “renovation consultant.” Our goal is to bring the construction manager to the residential segment as a trusted expert to guide the homeowner through building, remodeling, and DIY projects.
Our Qualifications Include:
· Bachelor's Degree of Construction Management – Eastern Michigan University
· International Code Council (ICC)
o B1 – Residential Building Inspector
o R3 – Residential Plan Reviewer
o 79 - Residential Energy Inspector & Plan Reviewer
o 64 – International Property Maintenance Code Inspector
· Licensed Residential Builder - Michigan
· Licensed Building Inspector and Plan Reviewer – Michigan
Who does DIY Connection work with?
Because we offer tailor-made services, we cater to a wide range of clients.
1. Homeowners – Our number one and favorite client is the average, everyday homeowner
who is building or renovating a house.
We work with homeowners who want to DIY their project, as well as those who will be hiring contractors. We even help homeowners act as their own general contractor. Additionally, we also offer remote inspections for periodic maintenance and buying and selling. The benefit to partnering with us is there is no incentive for us to try to sell you things you don’t need. In fact, our goal is help you save money! How many contractors can say that? Even after our fee, our clients still end up saving up to 50% by doing the project themselves with our help or up to 30% by cutting out a general contractor.
2. Investors – We help investors estimate and execute their fix and flip projects. The average investor knows the basics of construction but may not be aware of all the details it takes to remove a load bearing wall. We partner with these folks to look out for their best interest to ensure their feasibility study and construction budget is complete and accurate.
3. Other Businesses – As former construction company owners, we understand the pinch points of labor. We understand that there are times that require additional administrative and management support, but doesn’t always justify hiring a new position. We’ve helped several companies with their estimates, project management, material take offs, plan reviews, and code compliance on an as-needed basis.
Why does DIY Connection exist?
DIY Connection was founded for many reasons, but here are the top five:
Most homeowners are fully capable of completing their own renovations – they just need some detailed instruction pertaining to their specific project from industry experts.
With Youtube, TikTok, Pinterest, and all the HGTV shows, there is an abundance of information for homeowners. However, there is simply too much information that overloads the average DIY’er. We partner with you to work on YOUR project specifically.
As inspectors, we got really tired of seeing shoddy and subpar work. Contractors take advantage of homeowners too frequently, simply because the homeowner doesn’t know any difference. Whether you’re hiring a contractor or DIY-ing, we want to ensure your project is completed correctly and will last for many years to come.
We want to offer unbiased advice to homeowners without pushing a sale. If you think your roof is ending it’s life expectancy and call a contractor, there’s a good chance the contractor will also try to sell you on new windows, gutters, siding, etc. We’re not doing the work so there is no incentive for us to tell you that you need additional things. We simply provide advice and an explanation so you can make informed decisions. We can even help you compare quotes and decide on a contractor.
There’s a missing component in the residential construction scene. Contractors and builders build, but aren’t the in the business of teaching. Architects and designers design, but aren’t in the business of building. Code officials and inspectors make sure it’s designed and built properly, but aren’t in the business of consulting. So who puts it all together with YOUR best interest in mind? Que:
BONUS: It’s rewarding to share our construction knowledge. With over 30 years of combined construction experience, we’ve seen many, many things. We love teaching and sharing our knowledge and “trade secrets” with homeowners so they can manage or DIY their own project. Our goal is to be able to teach homeowners enough about their project and home as a whole. This allows them to confidently talk with contractors or walk into Home Depot and understand the ins and outs of their project.
How does it work?
First, you’ll send us a message describing your needs here: https://www.diyconnection.net/contact. We’ll determine if this will be a one-time meeting or the start of a series of meetings for larger projects. Next, we’ll set up a time to meet via Google Meetings or Zoom. After the meeting, you’ll receive a summary of what we talked about and the next steps. We will then send an invoice based on the amount of time we’ve spent with you.
What to expect from us?
We pledge to provide you with best knowledge and information regarding your project. Even if you don’t end up partnering with us, we still ask you to keep an eye on our blog and social media pages. We will be providing tons of free tips, advice, project ideas, and tool/product reviews.