The phrase “do it yourself” evokes images of a weekend trip to the Home Depot, a bruised thumb, and the feeling of satisfaction that comes from a freshly painted room, a repaired deck, or a newly constructed patio planter. But even the experts at do-it-yourself publications such as This Old House frequently remind us not to delve into projects in the domain of experts such as plumbers, electricians, excavators, and the like. The consequences there—a broken gas main or electrical shocks—could have disastrous results.
In recent years, do-it-yourself (DIY) providers have emerged in many fields ranging from income tax preparation to estate planning. These services purport to provide, at low cost, the ability to generate computer-drafted documents that may bear some of the hallmarks of professionally prepared documents. Although these services provide tools to enable the DIY project, as with the home improvement world, they should be used with caution.