Why DIY May Not Be As Beneficial As You Think
Maintaining a home is an expensive responsibility. That’s why so many homeowners prefer to tackle repairs and maintenance themselves. The idea is that they can cut out the middleman and save hundreds of dollars on labor and other expenses. Although possible with some home improvements, that’s not the case for others. Here’s a look at why DIY and when DIY is not as beneficial as you’d think.
There’s A Lot To Learn
Unless you’re a contractor by trade or you have years of experience working with tools and household systems, there’s a huge learning curve. You’ll have to spend hours reading books or watching videos to learn how to complete a task. If you don’t, you run the risk of doing something wrong and making a bigger problem for yourself.
Permits And Inspections
Some home improvement projects are required by law to be permitted first. A permit ensures that the person doing the work is doing so in compliance with building regulations. If you do the work yourself, you’ll need to apply for a permit. After the work is completed, a city inspector will analyze the home to ensure it is safe. If any mistakes or violations are discovered, you will be held liable. If you fail to obtain a permit and something happens to require you to file an insurance claim, you may have to pay more to get everything resolved.
Liabilities
Speaking of liabilities, if you ask a friend or family member to help you with the project and they get hurt, you are responsible. Your homeowner’s insurance covers your medical needs, but you will have to pay out of pocket for your loved one’s expenses. As you might imagine, this could be very expensive depending on the injuries.
Safety Risks
While you may be able to clear a clog from your bathroom sink, trying to tackle tasks like electrical work is dangerous. Electrical systems are very complex and run throughout the entire house. One mistake could result in electrocution, outages, fires, and physical injuries. Clearly, the financial damage of an electrical error costs more than hiring a professional. A quick search of electricians in my area will route you to the best service providers.
Expensive Equipment And Supplies
Another reason DIY home improvements aren’t always financially-savvy decisions is that the equipment and supplies are expensive. A screwdriver, wrench, rubber washer, or air filter might be cheap, but power tools and building materials are costly. You could end up spending thousands of dollars to maintain your home. On the other hand, contractors already have the tools and a network of suppliers they can rely on to get supplies from at a discount. Ultimately, hiring a contractor would save you a lot of money in the long run.
Time-Consuming
Not all home improvement projects are overnight jobs. Some of them take days or even weeks to complete. Not to mention you’ll be completing the task by yourself. For example, imagine how long it would take you to overhaul your kitchen. You’d have to do demolition then install new cabinetry, flooring, and appliances. You’ll be without access to your kitchen for weeks, if not months. A contractor has a team of employees and subcontractors they can rely on to help them get the job done faster. They can knock out a home improvement project in a fraction of the time it would take you to finish it yourself.
There’s no denying that DIY home improvement has some financial advantages, but it’s not always the right decision. When working with complex systems or complicated tasks, trying to do it yourself increases your risks. As you can see from the information above, you could face legal trouble, have a hard time filing an insurance claim, and be on the hook for thousands of dollars. Sometimes, the best decision you can make is hiring a contractor to take care of the job for you.
