Pros and Cons of DIY

 

Image courtesy of Cotswoldco.com

House renovation is tiring, and it can drain you both emotionally and financially. Repair and redesign jobs can often cost a pretty penny, and this is why an increasing number of people forego hiring professionals for minor repair jobs and simply do it themselves.

DIY projects, however, come with a number of advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered and that people aren’t always aware of.

Pros: 

Money
For many people, saving money is the main reason to choose DIY over hiring professionals. A contractor can often cost a fortune, and so if you’re on a tight budget and can’t necessarily afford to spend money on one — especially if you don’t know where and how to hire a capable and trustworthy contractor — DIY might be the solution to all your problems. If you have a basic knowledge of home improvement, and if you’re confident in your skills and abilities, doing the work yourself can save you a lot of money.

You're Your Own Boss 
If you take the leap and decide to do it yourself, you are essentially your own boss. You make the decisions however and whenever you like. And if you change your mind and want to review or alter decisions you made earlier, then that’s absolutely no problem!

Perhaps you rather liked the look and sound of porcelain or black antique door knobs when you started the renovation. But now, after careful consideration of your finances, you are leaning towards more affordable options and fancy the idea of cheaper door handles. Well, guess what? That is perfectly fine. As your own boss, you won’t have to answer or explain anything to anyone. Your house, your job, your decision!

Sense of Achievement 
There is something incredibly satisfying about creating and building something with your own two hands. There is a sense of achievement and gratification that comes with that. Knowing that you, all by yourself (with the help of DIY videos and tutorials perhaps… but shh shhh!), successfully completed a renovation project. You simply can’t put a price tag on that feeling.

Cons: 

Time 
This is arguably the number one factor why people choose to hire professionals for repair jobs which they could — with a bit of preparation and research — do themselves.

Time is money and repair jobs eat up a lot of your time. So if you simply don’t have that empty space in your schedule, hiring someone else can seem like the sensible choice.

Quality 
No matter how many DIY videos and tutorials you’ve seen, no matter how many books you’ve read, and no matter how much DIY experience you have, you’re still an amateur and the quality of your work won’t match up to that of a contractor. After all, they are paid their wages for a reason; they are professionals.


At the end of the day, it boils down to not just one simple factor. Which path to choose depends on you and your (financial and personal) situation. If your main priority is to save money, then do it yourself. If, however, you want a first-class renovation job and don’t have any time to do it yourself, then get a professional in. Whichever option you go for, though, make sure that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into before agreeing to anything.