Home improvement shows often make it easy to believe that anyone can turn their home into a designer’s dream with a couple of weeks of work, a tool belt, and a video or two. However, the reality of the situation is that even with committing to blood, sweat, and tears, sometimes doing it yourself is just not worth it. The last thing you want to do is pour all that time and effort into a project only to find you have to call a professional to fix a job that you botched.
Considerations Before Making Your Choice
Before you decide to take on the next project yourself, let’s take a look at some factors that will help you decide if this is a true DIY project or whether you’re better off hiring a professional.
Take Your Own Safety Into Consideration
Can you perform the task safely? This question isn’t specific to skills — you need to make sure you have the proper equipment, as well. Before you begin to take on a home improvement adventure, you should always determine the possible liabilities involved so you can take whatever safeguards are needed to make certain that no one’s health may be compromised. If you can’t be 100% sure that you and your helpers can tackle the project safely, then hiring a professional is definitely the right plan of action.
Be Realistic About Your Skill Level
It is great to be able to save cash on home renovations by doing it yourself! If you don’t know what you are doing, however, it can end up costing more than it would to hire a contractor to do it for you. Before you commit to handling a project, do some research to see what skills are needed to get the job done to its completion. Then ask yourself if this project is really something you have the skill to do on your own. If you don’t have the expertise to take it on, then hiring someone who is experienced at the task is a smarter idea.
Investing Your Time and Money
When you hire a professional, you can sit back and do something else instead of using your own time. The trade-off is that instead of costing you time, it will cost you money. If you have the skill to do the job, then the next question is to ask yourself what you’d rather spend: time or money?
Many are motivated to try their hand at DIY home improvement in the hopes of saving money. While you can save money doing many projects yourself and buying second-hand tools or supplies, it doesn’t always end up that way. Contractors are often able to get better deals on materials and they probably have all of the tools already on-hand. If you have the time and skill but lack the tools, find out how much it will cost you in tools and materials to see if you’ll really save on cash.
If it turns out to be cheaper to do it yourself and you decide to do the task yourself, consider putting the project on your calendar. This will help you plan and manage your time so you don’t put it off or let it slip through the cracks.
Choosing the DIY Approach
If you have considered all the important factors and decided a DIY approach is a reasonable option, there are many reasons to make it your final choice! Perhaps it’s not about the time or money and you just want to learn a new skill. A DIY home improvement project may require you to watch videos about how to install a tile backsplash, or read about the different types of stain for your deck. If you are willing to learn how to execute a task properly, doing it yourself might be the right choice.
Another time that it makes sense to DIY is if you truly enjoy the type of work that needs to be done. For example, if woodworking and painting your recreation room are pleasurable activities for you, it seems appropriate to handle similar jobs around your house. You may even find the process of doing the job itself is as enjoyable as seeing the final result.
When is it Better to Hire a Professional?
Sometimes, it doesn’t make sense to DIY a project. Let professionals do jobs that would be expensive to fix if they aren’t done correctly. When you work with a reputable contractor, they warranty their work so you are protected from any property damage if they make a mistake. You should also leave it to the professionals if your home renovation requires a permit or it might impact the structure of your home.
Are you planning on selling your home immediately or in the next few years? This is another time when you should be cautious about DIY projects. Buyers expect that they’ll need to paint, but fixing a botched floor installation may be enough to keep them away. This is a time when you want new projects to look professional rather than “good enough.”
