Sometimes, you focus on something in your home that eventually becomes an eyesore. Whether it be wallpaper, carpeting, your kitchen, or something else, we’ve all asked ourselves if it would be cheaper for us to take on that project on our own.
Is it worth it?
Depending on your priorities and the complexity of your project, it may be better to have the professionals handle the job. That’s not to say that you aren’t capable, but with some jobs there’s a lot of technique involved, and you may end up costing yourself even more money if the job you start doesn’t end well. You may end up having to call the professionals anyway.
Another factor to consider will be the time invested. Is saving money your priority? Or is saving time your priority? Many home improvement projects take many days to complete, even months, especially if you’ve never done it before. It may be something that turns into months of work, versus paying someone and having it done far more quickly and efficiently. If you’re like most of the general population that has to work 40+ hours a week, are you prepared to add another 10-20 hours a week to your workload until your project is complete? That would mean working during the week when you get home, and on the weekends.
Let’s dive into some examples that will give us more clarity.
A good example of a complex project would be a kitchen remodel. A kitchen remodel involves a lot of steps, and you may think you can find granite countertops or kitchen appliances for cheaper than a contractor would charge you, but is it worth it in the long run? More than likely, it’ll cost you additional money for them to come in and fix any problems, and then continue on with the job. A project this large not only takes a significant amount of time, but it also takes a solid team of people that have the physical strength and technique to leave your kitchen looking brand new.
Another example would be epoxy flooring in a garage. Epoxy is wonderful for durability and looks beautiful in any garage. Some folks believe that it would be better to save some money, so they buy kits off of the website that has everything, only to find out they don’t have the technique or the proper tools to get it looking perfect. This can be disappointing, and once again lead to extra money spent correcting any mishaps.
It’s completely understandable in this day and age that we’d all like to save money where we can. If you decide you want to make significant changes in your home, it is highly recommended that you spend your time researching to understand exactly what that would entail, to save yourself some headaches in the long run. If you feel confident in your ability to complete a task, you should absolutely give it a try (cautiously)! Always remember that the professionals are always available to help you with any home improvement projects!
