Yep, that's me with the power tool

So after our bathroom reno fiasco (which is still ongoing) I have changed my mind about contractors and renovations. In a good way. I want to learn to do it myself.

I have been really charged about this in the past few weeks. We have really good friends who do lots of home renovations on their houses, and I half-jokingly (but only half!) mentioned that I'd love to apprentice for my friend's husband as he tackles some of the jobs. I'm a "learn by seeing/doing" type of person, and I pick things up really easily once I wrap my head around how it is supposed to work.

I've long had an interest in this kind of thing. Right before I got pregnant with Colin, I had signed up and attended the training workshops with 'Habitat for Humanity' and some of their Toronto building projects. I never got to go on site, because I got pregnant, but it is still something I hope to do one day.

At our local home improvement store, they offer different classes that show you how to "do-it-yourself" and so I have officially signed up for my first one! It's actually called a "do-it-herself" workshop, and no, I do not think the segregation is sexist in the least. In fact, I think it might be a little less intimidating. The workshop is called "The Power is Yours: Intro to Power Tools" where I will learn about the different types of tools out there, how to choose the right one for the right project, and how to safely use the tools. I really hope I'll also get a chance to use some of them, because that is the first fear I need to overcome. There is a lot of power behind a lot of the tools, and frankly I'm a tiny person! I do own my own reciprocating saw, from when I designed and built my own fence, but even using that still shakes me a little (literally!)

My long term goal? To renovate my own kitchen! I will be able to save between a third to a half of the cost by doing it myself. Of course, I will enlist the help of friends and professionals where necessary (think plumber!) but the more I look at the project, the easier the pieces become! It won't be for a few years down the road, but it will come a lot sooner if I can save that much by learning and doing it on my own!

YAY!!!!!!!!