How to Decide When to Do It Yourself and When to Hire a Professional
Last fall, my husband and I installed a new fence in our backyard. It is white cedar and the tree has dried enough since it was installed that it is time for us to paint and seal it before the weather starts to take its toll. The point is, we really don’t want to do this.
Every time we discuss it, we both whimper and groan about it; our weekends are already very busy and rain is a constant factor. Mostly, however, our hesitation is caused by the fact that one large piece of fence is six inches from our neighbors’ tall white vinyl fence / wall (the victory twin house). We cannot figure out how to effectively paint the back of this part of the fence, and we are very tired of discussing the best possible method.
We just want to hire someone, but it seems so stupid. It’s not that big of a job. This is a fairly low level of “necessary skills”. And as one acquaintance helpfully pointed out, we can probably just remove that part of the fence, stain it, and reinstall it (hahahaha, that doesn’t happen).
There are several home improvement projects that you could pursue. But does this mean that you should do it just because you could ? How do you know the difference?
Consider the equipment and materials needed
Many home improvement projects only require a few basic supplies. If you’re looking to re-paint your bedroom, you know you’ll need paint, some brushes and rollers, a tray, maybe some blue masking tape, and some rags. You probably already own some of these items from previous projects, so buying a few upgraded consumables shouldn’t be too difficult.
However, installing a backsplash in your kitchen may require tools (such as a trowel and tile saw) that you don’t already have and that you may never use again. If you don’t have a lot of storage space for your tools, this can affect the amount of money and space you devote to rarely used items.
Also, if this is a project for which you need to rent and use large equipment for the first time, determine your comfort level. Hiring a neighbor’s sink to clean your terrace in the spring is one thing; renting an excavator to move land is another. If you are naturally comfortable and good at maneuvering heavy equipment, then go for it. If not … proceed with caution.
Consider the complexity
I have a general rule of thumb with DIY projects: If I watch a tutorial or two on YouTube and find myself more confused or overwhelmed than when I first started, it’s time to call a professional. If something is pretty simple or straightforward, good guidance will help you feel confident about the task ahead. If it doesn’t look easy, it probably isn’t.
Consider the consequences
Before grabbing a sledgehammer or shutting off a plumbing to start what you are about to do, ask yourself: how bad can that be? If I do it wrong, if I screw up, what could happen in the worst case?
I have one bathroom in my house, so trust me, if we ever have a serious toilet problem (* knocks on wood *), I call for help immediately. I cannot afford to mess with this situation. In addition, everything related to electricity is difficult for me, because I was never shocked and am not going to start now. But maybe you don’t mind shaking a little from time to time; to each his own.
Consider the need for labor
When freelance journalist Tove Danovic was trying to decide whether to chisel off a section of the house on her own, she received a lot of advice from people who said they would never pay anyone for such an “easy” job. She writes for Curbed that in the end she decided to outsource the walk to professionals, which turned out to be a good decision:
There were five men in orange vests. They had jackhammers and pickaxes. They had in their hands a tool the size of my Lab, like a chainsaw, attached to a row of knives. The other car was so large that it had an enclosed driver’s seat. This “little” job took them three hours.
If I think a project requires a “team” of builders, I will hire one.
Consider your budget
Usually it all comes down to it, right? You may not have the right equipment, knowledge, time, or desire to reuse your shower, but if you don’t have the money to hire someone, you may not have a choice. You do it, or you don’t do it. If this is the case, check out additional guides and be prepared for repeated trips to the hardware store.
But if you have money and you just don’t want to mess with it , you can hire someone. You don’t need to feel guilty about “wasting” money on something that you can technically do yourself. Sometimes your time and energy is worth more than you have to pay someone, and they will almost always do their job better than you could anyway.
With all this in mind, I don’t care how lazy I am the neighbors think; I am hiring someone to paint my fence.