Advantages of Doing It Yourself vs. Outsourcing the Job
Home remodeling can be tricky when it comes to deciding whether to do something yourself or hire a professional. There are so many factors that weigh into the decision-making process…money, time, experience, and degree of difficulty of the project. There are distinct advantages to both the DIY approach and hiring a pro, so we’re breaking it down to our top ones. Use this list to help you decide how to approach your next home improvement project or repair.
Advantage of DIY #1 – Opportunity to Learn
If you know how to do something yourself then you’ll never have to ask for help or hire someone else to do it, which is a big reason why DIY is so popular among homeowners. In the age of the Internet, it’s easier than ever to find instructional videos from professional remodelers and home restoration experts. For most small to medium projects, you can find several step-by-step videos on YouTube that will walk you through the entire process of doing things like installing baseboards or hanging drywall. What you need to bring to the table is a willingness to take direction and apply all the new information you’re going to learn. You also have to be willing to accept any potential mistakes that come with trying to do things yourself, but that’s all part of the DIY experience.
Advantage of DIY #2 – Save Money
When you’re doing a project yourself, there are two main areas in which you’re going to be saving money: materials and labor. It’s not uncommon for materials to be marked-up a percentage by home remodeling contractors since they’re doing your shopping for you. What varies widely from contractor to contractor is the cost of labor. A job like installing a new shower or insulation can vary by hundreds of dollars depending on who you hire, which is why learning how to do things yourself has become so popular among homeowners. Since you’re not charging yourself for labor, you can repocket all the money you would have spent on a contractor.
Advantage of DIY #3 – Control of the Project
When you hire a contractor for a project, you officially have a guest in or around your home for as long as the job takes. If you’re doing a major home, kitchen, or bathroom remodel, that could very well mean having a contractor around for a while – possibly weeks – and that can become inconvenient if you’re not on the same page with scheduling and the vision of the project. Doing it yourself means you’re on your schedule instead of a contractor’s. It also means you have full creative control over what your remodel or renovation looks like. If you’re the type of person that considers themselves a perfectionist, then DIY is the way to go.
Advantage of Hiring a Pro #1 – You’re Getting the Best (or Close to It)
If you hire a pro you’re going to get pro work – simple as that. Most contractors that are worth their salt have several years (or decades) of experience working on a wide variety of clients. Yes, a contractor is going to cost more compared to if you were to do the job yourself. However, a contractor is likely going to be faster and do a higher quality job than you – no offense. Practice makes perfect, and contractors get in a lot of practice on a daily basis.
Advantage of Hiring a Pro #2 – They Take All the Risk and Responsibility
In the home renovation and improvement world, there are some jobs that are easy and others that are downright dangerous. The huge advantage of hiring a contractor is that they take all the risk and responsibility that comes with a job. For instance, anything involving heights or electrical work is going to put you at personal risk, so it’s nice knowing you can farm that out to an expert to take care of it. If for some reason the contractor gets hurt during the job, they should be covered by their insurance.
Advantage of Hiring a Pro #3 – Guaranteed Good Work
The hard pill to swallow with doing the job yourself is that if the work isn’t up to professional standards, you’re stuck with the results. On the other hand, when you hire a pro, you’re guaranteeing yourself a certain level of quality. Most of the time there are clauses in the work order contract between you and your contractor that the work is guaranteed and under warranty. For instance, if a contractor built you a deck but it had structural problems a few months later, your contract would likely cover the contractor coming back out to fix the problem. Granted, contractors are more expensive, but you’re paying for first-class work that is under a limited warranty, at the very least. Make sure to read the work agreement thoroughly so you know the work is covered.
Get Started on Your Home Remodel Today!
If you’re looking for home remodeling in Kansas City for your bathroom, kitchen, or other project, then look no further than the team at NextGen Remodeling. We have over 60 years of combined experience and have a full team of designers, manufacturers, and contractors. We can remodel your house from top-to-bottom. No job is too big or small. NextGen Remodeling can add walls, adjust your floor plan, or install that brand-new kitchen island you’ve been dreaming about. We can even preview all your upgrades using our 3-D modeling system. This allows you to see what we’re going to do before we do it.
The best way to get started is by contacting us either through our website form.