To DIY or hire an expert? It’s an important question for homeowners! Ask yourself these questions to help determine whether you should tackle those home improvements yourself or whether you should call in the pros.
1. Do I want to?
You might have the DIY spirit, but some jobs can still be drudgery. It might be worth it to you to hire the job out, especially depending on cost.
For example, single story home can have gutters cleaned for around $150. That cost may seem minor when you imagine yourself navigating the roof and hauling a ladder around your landscaping.
2. Do I have the knowledge?
Some tasks, like replacing a light fixture or cleaning out a P-trap, can be learned easily by watching online video tutorials or talking to a seasoned homeowner. However, some jobs are much more complicated and can not only damage your home if you do them incorrectly but can cause serious injury!
Be honest when assessing your skill and knowledge level to keep you and your home safe. In general, any structural repairs and major plumbing, electrical or gas line work should be hired out. Most cosmetic things can be tackled by an amateur.
3. Do I have the time?
A perk of DIY projects is that they save you money, but a pitfall is that they often take a lot longer than they would if you had hired out the work. When planning for DIY home projects, be sure to not only budget your money, but also your time. It could get frustrating if you end up spending every weekend for months installing new cabinets or tinkering with the deck you’re adding on the back of the house.
If you decide to go the DIY route, make sure you’re not in a hurry, and remember that sometimes projects take too much time to make the cost-savings worth it.