Home Improvement – Do It Yourself or Hire a Pro?

When it comes to home improvement, one of the biggest decisions is whether to do it yourself or to hire a contractor. The idea of saving thousands of dollars is very tempting to everyone and having an excuse to buy new tools is usually enough to push even the most conservative do it yourselfer over the edge.

Rule Number 1

A remodeling project ALWAYS takes longer and costs more than you originally estimate. Professionals estimate at 125-130% of the time and cost they think something will take. This allows time for the glitches that usually occur. Common problems are needing to replace wiring and plumbing completely in older homes or opening up a wall and finding water or termite damage that has to be repaired.

Rule Number 2

Remodeling is very difficult on family life. No one likes climbing over things to get around the house. I think bathroom and kitchen remodeling are the most difficult because water and power get turned off, sometimes for days at a time. Even without the utilities involved, the house will be a mess for weeks or even months. Divorces have resulted from major remodeling projects.

The Smart Thing To Do

A smart do it yourself home owner will start small. They will undertake smaller projects to determine if they really have sufficient skill and the tools to complete a remodeling job with professional quality and do it in a reasonable amount of time. It will also give you an opportunity to see if any member of the family will go bananas from the inconvenience and mess.

Hiring a Contractor

You may decide that you can do part of the remodeling job but not all of it. For example, you can tear out the walls, ceilings and floors, and run most of the wiring, but you may need to hire an electrician to put in the new circuit breaker box or a plumber to install the new toilet and shower drains.

Some contractors are willing to do just the parts of a project that you cannot do yourself. Others will not. If you look around, you should be able to find somebody to do just the parts you can’t. But, do hire them and schedule their part of the work before you actually start tearing everything apart. See Rule Number 2.

By starting small and determining how long it actually takes you to finish something, you can get a good fell for what is reasonable for you to do yourself and when it is time to call in the professional. Choosing wisely will make everyone life a lot easier and still save you a lot of money.