There is nothing like the rewarding feeling of completing a DIY project. This might mean refurbishing a table that you love, repainting the walls in your bedroom, or creating your own artwork that you will hang on the walls. However, when it comes to bigger construction pieces in our homes, like renovations, you might wonder if it is worth it to DIY it or hire a general contractor. There are benefits to both. A DIY project, for example, is rewarding, fast, and cheaper … right? Not necessarily. That is why we are here to discuss DIY versus contractors for homes when it comes to big projects. Read on to learn more.
One of the pros of completing DIY projects is that you have a feeling of fulfillment after it is done. After all, you created the object that is now in your home, one that you can enjoy every day. However, DIY projects are not necessarily the best option when it comes to big home renovations. Significant renovation can have some serious pitfalls that you may want to consider before picking up that hammer. Even though it seems counterintuitive, DIY projects can become very costly. This is why it is important to consider DIY versus contractors for homes.
For example, if you are redoing your countertops and realize you didn’t measure them correctly, they will have to be taken out, remeasured, and redone. This can cost you some serious time and money. If you are replacing your floors with something more modern, you might find that the flooring doesn't match up to your walls. Once again, you will have to tear everything up, re-order materials, and start over. Another kind of DIY projects is that it might not turn out the way that you expected it. This is through no fault of your own. There are just some home projects that require a lot of background in that particular knowledge that you might not have under your belt. Would you rather have a dentist fill a cavity, or your friend who says they have a knack for it?
A general contractor can help manage skilled tradesmen and coordinate all the required paperwork and permitting required for most significant reno work - it’s often been said that doing a major renovation on one’s own can add two to five times the amount of effort on top of all the other obligations going on in your life, so be smart when it comes to hiring a contractor for big jobs.
When you think of hiring a general contractor for a home project, the cons probably come up right away. It can be costly, it can take a lot of time, and you have people coming in and out of your home each day. However, when you compare hiring a general contractor for a home project versus doing it yourself, you will find that these cons actually turn into pros.
Hiring a general contractor can end up being cheaper than if you do it yourself. As I mentioned before, if you mess up these very tedious projects by not aquiring the appropriate permitting, measuring wrong or ordering wrong material, then you are facing a whole new round of delayed work, extra buying, and doing everything all over again. This can make you spend double than what you were expecting.
Hiring a general contractor means that you will not only get the job done correctly, but you will also get it done in a timely manner. Of course, all projects take time, but when you get people who know what they’re doing, they will be able to do the project swiftly. Plus, by having the contractors in your home, they can make suggestions or ask questions you might not have thought of for a stunning finishing project.
To learn more about DIY versus contractors for home projects, be sure to contact or visit us today at Anderson & Rodgers Construction. We are located in Lexington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio. We also proudly serve Versailles, Georgetown, Richmond, Winchester, Kentucky.