Are you considering refurbishing your home and making it look new again? Or maybe you just want a change of scenery in your rooms?
It’s always nice to have your homes renovated, but not everyone has the luxury to afford it. Most people would bypass this by doing some renovations themselves instead of hiring someone else. While it may appear to be more cost-efficient at first, it may not always be the best idea.
You may think that you will just be spending money on supplies, but the costs can soon pile up when you realize you can’t do the job. It could end up being more expensive because you’re paying for novice mistakes.
If you’re not sure whether you want to DIY your task or hire a professional, let this article be your guide.
Plumbing: Pro
When it comes to technical work, only do it yourself if you’re a licensed professional. The primary reason is that you would need a permit. All work done in these aspects is required to follow municipal codes and laws that the average person may not be aware of.
More importantly, you want to avoid any major accidentals, such as causing a leak or worse. Learning how to remove or install new plumbing is not something you can learn by watching YouTube. It takes experience and skill as well as the right equipment. Damages you may cause will cost a lot more than initially hiring an expert.
While you can certainly try, you would still need to invest money in equipment you would only use for this one-time project. In this case, a pro is the safer option.
Electrical: Pro
Same with the plumbing, heavy-duty electrical jobs are left to the professionals. They almost always require a permit, too. It will sometimes be an entirely separate permit for the plumbing. Something as small as removing outlets also needs permits, and the process of getting said permit is a big hassle.
However, minor tasks like changing the lights don’t require any permits. By heavy-duty projects, we mean tasks that involve altering the internal wiring.
Flooring: Depends
The type of flooring determines whether you can DIY the task or not.
Tiles and laminating are really easy and can be done on your own. It’s fairly easy to install, and the materials are already quite cheap. Hardwood flooring is another matter though. The wooden planks used there are high-grade and expensive. This kind of job requires more precision and accuracy. Though hardwood experienced a bit of a decline in the past few years, it is still one of the most in-demand choices and generates as much as $2.2 billion in sales in a year.
Painting: Depends
When it comes to painting walls, it mostly depends on your time and patience. You will be paying for basically two things: the skill and the time. One of the saddest and most frustrating things to look at is an unfinished wall.
If you have multiple part-time jobs, you can benefit more from hiring a professional. Applying one coat of paint in one room is no problem. But, imagine doing multiple coats throughout the house. That’s an entire process of moving furniture, covering them, painting, cleaning up, and putting everything back. You have to remember that the walls need to be prepared before you can paint them, too. It just takes up too much time. It’s worse if you’re painting the exterior of a house, too.
That’s why most would recommend a house painter for exteriors and larger projects. They can work faster and more efficiently. You will also end up with a more even paint job than when you’re doing it yourself. Also, any problems that arise from the job and fixes that need to be done will be covered and insured by the contractor.
Bathroom Installations: DIY
When it comes to replacing sinks, showers, and toilets, you can do this job on your own as long as you won’t need to do any changes to the plumbing. The only struggle you’ll experience is carrying those heavy ceramic sinks and toilets while attaching them.
For bathroom renovations, most of the cost of hiring a professional goes into labor. But if you can put in the work and hours, you can get the same results as a professional if you use the same quality of materials. The fact that it is such a small space is what makes it easy for DIYers to do on their own.
Anyone, even low-income earners, can find ways to improve their homes. The key to staying within your budget is acknowledging when a task is better left with an expert. It saves you a lot of time and prevents additional costs from damages.
