Should You Hire a Contractor or Do It Yourself?

5 Ways to Choose Whether to DIY or Hire a Professional Who doesn’t want to save money? In the case of home improvements or repairs, doing it yourself (DIY) cuts labor costs. But, is it the best option? Think about what general contractors do. Sure, handy homeowners with skill or experience in a particular renovation may save time and money. However, going into a home project with little knowledge or experience can result in damage or repairs that cost more than hiring a professional to do it in the first place.

Let’s prevent an “uh-oh” moment. Here’s how to judge if you can go do-it-yourself route or if hiring a general contractor is wiser.

What Do General Contractors Do?

First, before you jump into it yourself, consider the role of a house remodeling contractor. General contractors oversee and manage various aspects of the entire construction process. They ensure construction is completed on time, within budget, and meets all quality standards. General contractors carry necessary industry certifications and liability insurance and meet state licensing requirements. Their responsibilities also include managing quality control to guarantee that every project detail is executed perfectly. Hiring a general contractor can provide peace of mind and ensure a successful outcome for homeowners looking to remodel or improve their homes. In work that involves meeting building codes or pulling permits, it may be best to hire a plumbing or electrical contractor.

But doing it yourself if always an option. Before you do so, ask yourself, do you have the:

1. Skill

To successfully complete a DIY home project requires a certain baseline level of skill. This does not always translate from one project to another. For example, a homeowner who has laid vinyl flooring may not know how to lay tile or carpet.

Evaluating each step in the building project and performing it correctly is crucial to the home update’s success. Home projects may require a combination of skills and specialty equipment. Do you own and know how to safely operate a nail gun, for instance? What about ways to remove stuck-on floor adhesive? People who need help knowing where to start or their way around tools are better off hiring a professional home contractor.

2. Experience

Although skill and experience are related, they are not exactly the same thing. Many people know their way around a basic handsaw, level, and hammer. That doesn’t mean they’re ready to renovate a kitchen.

Sometimes, related experience does give people a knowledge base to figure out each task. Someone who knows how to assemble furniture may be able to extend their knowledge into assembling cabinetry kits. But be careful–just because you’ve successfully figured out IKEA furniture directions doesn’t make you experienced at cabinetry, built-ins, or hanging a mantle.

Homeowners whose DIY experience is limited or unrelated to the project should decide if they are willing to make some mistakes along the way as they learn. Those mistakes could cost you time redoing the work and money for the materials to fix. Whereas, an experienced contractor knows exactly what to do and how to solve any bumps that might rise during the renovation.

3. Time

Home contractors are professionals who specialize in their trade. The longer they’ve been in business, the more time they’ve had to refine their skills as painters, plumbers, installers, and floorers. They have developed systems that minimize construction waste while moving efficiently through the work.

However, homeowners tend to have less skill, experience, and access to time-saving equipment than professional home contractors. It makes sense that the home project will take longer.

This may not be an issue for an individual with a lot of spare time and an interest in developing knowledge. Homeowners lacking the extra time will find delays and lack of experience quickly stretching out the project timeline beyond their expectations.

Professionals will take the least time on construction projects from start to finish because they’ve established processes that make the job go quickly. They know their way around their tools, have the right equipment to speed up the job, and work faster because they are experienced.

Hiring a home contractor who can give you a timeline and get the home renovation done within that time minimizes the impact on the rest of the household, too. Isn’t it nice to know a new kitchen will be done in three weeks? Unless you’d rather hope it takes you three months, as you work as time allows on evenings and weekends?

4. Commitment

A home renovation project is a major commitment. Instead of heading to the movies or spending the evening kicking back around the grill, it’s about work. That hands-on work means investing hours in preparing, doing the renovation, and cleaning up afterward. And remember, big projects always seem to take longer than you think.

So ask yourself, how ready and willing are you to make this kind of commitment?

Some people are very ambitious and dedicated. These go-getters are likely to finish every project they start. Others may have interests that outweigh their commitment, which increases the chances that the project may get started but never be completed.

In that case, property owners may prefer to hire a professional to ensure the home project will be finished according to the plan.

5. Risk

Ultimately, having a person lacking a high level of skill and experience in the home renovation project increases the risk of shoddy work and injury. Sometimes, homeowners can do a project themselves, but there are cases when they really should hire a contractor. More dangerous home renovation tasks or those requiring permitting or code requirements may be better left to professionals in the specialty trades. These include:

Home Renovations: DIY or Hire a Contractor

Low-risk projects that people feel okay about investing extra time and cash to make repairs may be better projects for doing it yourself. Those are home updates like painting a room, pressure washing the exterior, and freshening the landscaping. But if you want the guarantee of a job done correctly the first time, you’ll prefer the reassurance of hiring a licensed contractor. The construction industry has all types of contractors and handymen to help with your project.

Property owners can be confident they made the right decision by evaluating these factors for their home renovation plans.

FAQs

What should I do I decide to hire a building contractor?

When hiring a contractor, always check the contractor license and their proof of insurance. Ask questions about their actual construction experience related to the work you’re hiring for. Look at their work reviews and referrals to gauge their reliability and quality of work.

What do construction managers do?

Professional construction managers typically work on larger projects that require multiple independent contractors. They liaise with the property owner to answer questions and give progress updates. They ensure the work meets the contract specifications. Some many have degrees in construction management.

How do I know if the contractor charges are fair?

As part of finding a contractor, you should interview several. Compare the contract agreements for the charges, including materials and labor. When the estimated cost of the work is close together, it tells you what is a fair price.

What’s a contractor vs. handyman?

The terms “contractor” and “handyman” are often used interchangeably but generally refer to different roles and scopes of work. Contractors typically work under a contract and on large-scale projects like whole home remodels. They can also specialize in technical building systems, like an electrical contractor or HVAC contractor. Handymen handle smaller, less complex tasks such as minor repairs, maintenance, and basic installations. Their work often involves fixing leaks, painting, assembling furniture, or general home upkeep. Licensing requirements for handymen vary by state.

Updated July 2024

Preston Guyton Founder @ ez Home Search

Preston Guyton has spent 20+ years helping people find the right home—and helping them avoid the costly mistakes that often come from not knowing their options. As the founder of ez Home Search, he’s leading the charge to build a better way to discover real estate—one that puts your privacy first, delivers accurate information, and gives you the confidence to make informed decisions. Preston has assembled a powerhouse team—made up of the innovators behind many of the technologies people use every day—to build the tools and transparency that deliver on a single mission: A Better Way To Discover Real Estate.