A person’s home is there castle, so you should be proud of your home and its appearance. If there is something in your home that you are not proud of, it may be time to do some remodeling. But once you’ve decided to remodel, then comes the question “Do I do the work myself or do I hire a professional?”
Let’s take a step back and consider some questions to help you make that decision.
Should I DIY?
Before you take the route of doing a project yourself, you need to look at several questions.
Q: Do I have the skill it takes to professionally start and complete the project at hand?
A: If you are a licensed electrician, then by all means, you can do electrical work. But if you are not, you will want to leave such jobs for a professional. If you start a project and then cannot complete it due to your skill set, you may wind up costing yourself more money in the long run when you do have to call in a professional.
Q: Do I have the time to complete the project in a timely manner?
A: If you start to paint your walls and it takes you six months to complete three walls, then you are better off calling in a professional. When you can only do half a project in a given time, you are not doing justice to your home or to yourself. Additionally, a half-finished project can disrupt your life. Your time is also worth money, so if you do not have the time to put toward a project, then it is better to call in a professional.
Q: Are you willing to put in some manual labor?
A: When it comes to light demolition or landscaping, a non-professional often has the skill set to do the work. However, these can be heavy tasks and require back-aching labor. If you are not able or willing to put in the manual labor required, then leave your project to the professionals.
Q: Do you have all the proper tools necessary to do the project correctly?
A: Not everyone has a shed full of tools and equipment at their disposal. If you don’t have these things, you might have to purchase or rent tools for the job. Sometimes just getting the tools for the job is more costly than having a professional come do the work for you.
Q: Have you looked at all costs that you would incur if you tried to do the project yourself?
A: If you are looking to do a home improvement project yourself, you must consider all the costs it would entail. This includes materials, tools, your time, extra labor costs (if more than a one person job), mistake costs, etc. After figuring up this cost, you may benefit from having a professional do the job. Some jobs will cost you more to do yourself if you do not have the needed experience.
Hiring a Professional
Sometimes a job simply doesn’t need to be done by a homeowner unless they are a professional. As we bring this post to close, consider the following three factors:
- Danger Factor – Some jobs such as electrical wiring, plumbing, roofing, and structural work need to be done by a professional for your safety, as well as the safety of those who are in the home. Poorly completed electrical wiring could even lead to a house fire, negatively affecting your home in the long term.
- Damage – If a project is not completed correctly, it could cause damage to your home. Not only will the repairs cost you more money, but they could affect your home’s value.
- Requirements – When a project calls for a permit to be pulled by a licensed technician, this usually means it is more than a homeowner should try to tackle themselves.
If any of these criteria factor in your remodeling project, then you need to consider having a professional do the work.
For all of your professional home remodeling needs, contact us at Vesta Homes. We work with a hand selected team of vendors, subcontractors, architects, and designers who come together to provide an elite product for all our customers. If you are thinking about building a home or remodeling your existing home in Nashville, Tennessee or the surrounding area, give us a call today.
