When to DIY Home Renovations and When to Hire a Professional
No doubt about it, there’s an appeal to tackling a home improvement project yourself, from the money saved to the sense of accomplishment that comes from a DIY job well done.
Some projects lend themselves easily to doing it yourself, and with an endless amount of step-by-step instruction to be found online for virtually any project, why not? Essential home maintenance and seasonal care, basic landscaping and simple repair or replacement jobs are all great places to start for even the most novice do-it-yourselfer.
But what about projects that require a bit more know-how? When should you do a home renovation project yourself, and when is it time to call in a professional?
Below are a few factors to weigh carefully before undertaking a renovation project.
Consider hiring a professional if:
You’re selling your home
If you’re planning to put your house on the market anytime soon and hoping to boost your home’s value by updating with renovations, you’re probably best served by getting professional help. Take a look at other homes for sale in your area on sites like Trulia and Zillow to get an idea of which renovations and repairs yield the highest return. You’ll know what you’re competing against and what buyers are seeing in your neighborhood.
If you’re confident in your skills for jobs such as freshening up the paint in a few rooms, fixing leaky faucets or changing light fixtures, by all means, put your skills to use. But leave more complex projects to the professionals. An amateur project could have a negative effect on the value of your home if a buyer feels they’ll need to hire a pro to fix it.
Calling in a pro will save you time, particularly if you don’t already possess the required skills to complete a project. In the time it would take you to watch a weekend’s worth of YouTube tutorials, a pro will have the job done, keeping your home-selling timeline on track. And, as they say, time is money.
You want to preserve family harmony
A recent survey found the average American home has nine unfinished DIY projects that have stalled for 12 months or more, projects ranging from installing new tile to roof repair. The same survey showed that although most homeowners (55%) will attempt a job themselves, the majority end up abandoning the project before completion because they don’t have the skills, time or funds to complete the job.
Living in a state of “half-done” is stressful for everyone involved. Hiring a reputable pro from the beginning ensures projects are completed with minimum hassle, in a timely fashion, and are done correctly.
The project requires a permit
You can be confident a project is beyond the scope of your average DIYer if it A. requires a permit; B. could damage or destroy your home if done incorrectly; or C. is a high safety risk in terms of injury or death.
Projects that need a permit from your municipality require knowledge of building codes, licensing, and proof of insurance and liability coverage. If an inspection is required at the end of your project, you’ll want to hire a professional.
Work involving electrical, plumbing or HVAC, where a mistake could lead to a hazardous situation such as a fire or gas leak should be left to licensed professionals. Likewise for structural or roof work where safety restraints and other measures to prevent accidents are a must. Jeopardizing your family’s safety or your own simply isn’t worth it.
You care about quality
Homeowners who are disappointed by the results of their DIY project often end up calling in a pro to redo the job, usually because they don’t like the way it looks. If an uneven floor or misaligned tile is going to bother you every time you look at it, consider it worth the investment to get the project done right the first time.
Try DIY if:
You know your “why”
Maybe you’re looking to save money by doing a project yourself, or maybe you just appreciate a job well done by your own two hands. Perhaps you’re a veteran DIYer and are taking on a project that will expand your skill set. Whatever your reason, being realistic about why you want to DIY a project will help you see it all the way through to the finish line.
Time (and money) are on your side
If you’re not working under a tight deadline and have the time and patience to learn and practice the skills you need, a DIY project might be right for you.
To ensure it makes sense financially, you might want to price out what a professional would charge to do the job to get a sense of how much you’ll save doing it yourself. Be sure to factor in the cost of supplies or additional tools you may need. Is this a one-person job, or will you need to bring in help? How many hours will it take to complete the job, and what are those hours worth to you? Just because a bathroom renovation took place over one weekend on HGTV, we all know that’s not how it works in real life.
Ultimately, a DIY project should be small enough that if it goes wrong, the project won’t cause lasting detrimental damage to your home and could be fixed by a professional if necessary.
You’re OK with imperfection
There’s likely to be a learning curve involved in most new-to-you DIY projects, whether it’s mastering a new skill or simply making small mistakes as you go. If you’re someone who values the process and can appreciate a few flaws in your finished project, doing it yourself can be a satisfying accomplishment.
The tradeoffs for hiring a professional versus doing it yourself are time, money and results. Weigh the cost of time and money spent against the desired outcome to decide which factors are most important to you.
