10 Top Condo DIY Tips

Call this the apartment transformer's 10 commandments.

1. PLAY BY THE RULES. Check your condo documents before beginning any work. Seek board approval when necessary.

2. SHOP AROUND. Deals on appliances and materials abound online and in stores. The investment of shopping time could save hundreds of dollars.

3. ASK FOR ADVICE. Tips for do-it-yourselfers are available online, in books and at hardware stores. Talk to anyone and everyone.

4. KNOW THY LIMITS. Shelve thy ego and call in a contractor when dealing with tricky electrical work, demolition or plumbing. If it might damage the building, call for backup.

5. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. Steve Klc, pastry chef and condo-redo savant, repurposed some Ikea cabinets he didn't use in his kitchen as window seats for his cats.

6. BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. Warn those living nearby before a noisy round with the drum sander.

7. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE. Triple all time estimates. These projects always take longer than expected.

8. APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS. Replacing the thermostat, changing an air filter: the small tasks boost confidence.

9. DON'T SWEAT THE BIG STUFF. Home improvement is a skill like any other. It takes time to learn, so keep at it.

10. SAVOR YOUR SWEETIE. If renovating with a loved one, take design disagreements and building blunders in stride. DIY can be stressful, but at the end of the day, the person matters more than the project.

-- Julia Beizer