DIY vs. Hiring a Contractor
House maintenance and renovations cost a lot of money. The cost will depend on the project. Small repairs and touches won’t break your bank. But, you could save this money or put it to other uses. This is why there are homeowners who prefer to do the repairs and upgrades themselves.
However, the big question: Is it a good idea to do these repairs and upgrades on your own? Or is it better to hire a contractor? Let’s see what the pros and cons are of doing repairs and upgrades on your own (DIY) versus hiring a contractor.
Do It Yourself Pros
1. Save Money
As mentioned, one of the main reasons why homeowners do upgrades and repairs themselves is because they want to save money. DIY-ing a project can do that for you, but in one condition. You have to know what you’re doing if you want to save money. Small fixes like painting a door or repairing a chair’s broken leg are do-able and can save you a buck or two.
2. Your Own Time
Because you are DIY-ing a project, you control the amount of time you spend on it. The pace at which you work is up to you. If it’s a simple project, you may finish at ahead or on time. If you want to do some more house improvements, you can allot more time in doing so. However, the same first condition applies here. A project can finish quickly if you know what you’re doing.
3. DIY Achievement
Completing a project can give you a sense of achievement. You will feel good seeing your finished work particularly if the project is done well. Your friends and family will probably praise you for it too. So, DIY-ing something is a mood boosting achievement for anyone.
Do It Yourself Con
There is one big con when you DIY a project. This con is the total opposite of all the pros listed above. As mentioned, if you do not have experience with doing repairs or improvements on your house, you can end up wasting money, wasting time and feeling down.
For example, if you do not have any experience with plumbing, you should not attempt to install a sink or a tub. This project requires knowledge and expertise. Doing it on your own might just be a complete disaster.
Hiring a Contractor Pros
1. Enough Time for Other Things
If you don’t have enough time to do house improvements, delegating the task to a contractor could be the way to go. You don’t have to do the project yourself if you hire a contractor. You can concentrate on other tasks you need to do while the improvements are done.
2. Better Quality Work
Good contractors have experience and knowledge on their side. With their expertise, it’s likely that they will produce quality results. This is especially true with big house projects. In comparison, DIY-ing a big project will not have the same quality result as a big project done by an expert contractor.
3. Warranties
There are a lot of contractors that offer warranties on their work. If something does go amiss, they can go back and fix it at no extra cost. The length of the warranty will depend on the agreement made by the house owner and contractor. Also, you will feel more secure because the renovation will have a warranty.
Hiring a Contractor Con
Hiring a contractor to do your house improvements for you can be expensive. You should also watch out for contractors that do not have a license. There are risks of non permitted work or work not being completed per building code.
Despite the cons, there are ways to avoid hiring a bad contractor who charges an arm and a leg:
- Get referrals from friends and family
- Check the contractor’s license and insurance policy
- Get an estimate from different contractors to get an idea of the cost of a project
- Hire a contractor with a local address
Local contractors who have had a lot of satisfied customers are the ones that you need for your house improvements. If you are a licensed and insured contractor in the Twin Cities area, please visit our contractor page for more information.