Homeowners renovate their homes for different purposes. You may want to add on the resale value of your house, enhance the environment or lighten the mood inside. Anyone refurbishing a house has a constant question in mind, ‘do I do it myself, or hire professionals?’. When it comes to home renovations, doing it by yourself is not easy. At times you will need to hire professionals for some tasks or the entire project.
But, hiring professionals can turn out to be too expensive. Most people will end up working on their own and involve professionals when they can’t do something. The incentive towards DIY renovations is saving an extra coin unlike hiring professionals. But the main question is, ‘is it worth it?’. Let us look into some factors to consider in the decision and the pros and cons of DIY renovation.
Considerations to make before a DIY renovation;
Before diving into DIY remodeling, have a plan. Assess whether you have the skills and motivation to go through the project. The motivation includes research, trips to the store, buying the tools, and working to the end. Some do not want the hassle, but they also want to save money. It is this indecisive attitude that leads to project failure.
Do you have enough time to set aside for the project? Before starting the project, assess the previous few days and track how you use your time. You can track using a productivity app like Toggl or noting everything down. From your schedule, identify the activities that you must do. If they take up a majority of your time, DIY may not be your best option. You don’t want to start a project that you cannot finish.
Most people assume that DIY renovation will save on costs. Yet, if you will have to buy all the tools at a go, you may rethink that idea. Most companies give a quote of their services on their websites or upon inquiry via email. Compare the quote with the cost of the tools and decide depending on the price and convenience.
For most professionals, the labor quotation is usually between $30 to $130 per hour. Depending on the number of hours they work, the price can go up to hundreds or thousands of dollars. Doing it yourself will mean exchanging the labor cost with your time. If you have the time, then DIY is a good way to save some coins.
Professionals work within a given period. If the renovation is not a necessity, this may not be your best option. DIY renovating allows you to work within your timeline. If something urgent comes up, you can attend to it and push the renovation to another day.
When starting, you are most likely unaware of most of the things you are about to do. The research and practical application allow you to learn a lot of skills. The project can also turn into a family bonding moment where your kids can learn a few fixes. At the end of it, you will have a lot more knowledge than you ever did.
Being unaware of a lot of things leaves room for mistakes. Sometimes, your DIY renovation may not end up like the images and YouTube videos in your research. Even though you get to learn, you might bear an extra cost to fix an error. If it is too big, the cost advantage that you enjoyed becomes null. Even worse, you may make an irreversible error.
DIY renovation poses danger to you and your helpers. The danger may be due to ignorance or failure. For instance, an electric failure or loosened door hinges may cause serious injury. If the renovation poses danger, it is better to entrust professionals. They most likely have experience and knowledge on how to handle such cases.
Typically, DIY home renovation projects are ideal for smaller and fewer complex projects, particularly for people with minimal experience. Projects like painting your bedroom, installing kitchen shelves, replacing light bulbs, among others are some of the most recommended DIY projects. You can learn how to tackle these projects at YouTube and other DIY sites.
However, if you’ve ever done some home renovations before, you can handle other tasks like light demolition. Things like drywall demolitions, or replacing or removing doors are a bit technical, but you can handle them. However, if you aren’t confident about doing some light demolitions, consider seeking professional assistance.
According to the home renovation contractors from AFS General, Florida, if you choose to start your DIY project, make sure that you set a budget for the project. When doing so, you should set your budget on the higher side, but be extra careful to avoid going over your budget. Therefore, if you opt to do a DIY home renovation, make sure that you factor in all the costs in advance. That means the cost for the materials and tools required.
If you opt to hire a professional contractor, try to do some work like removing the carpet in your living room and bedrooms since the contractor might charge you for that. However, you need to be firm and avoid getting services that you didn’t order or budget for.
This content was originally published here.
