Should You DIY, Contract It Yourself Or Hire A Design-Build-Remodeling Firm?

This article is part one of three and looks at your options and defines when a DIY project makes sense.

Today, with the popularity of networks like HGTV and DIY, and websites like Houzz, homeowners are becoming educated when it comes to remodeling. Many have specific ideas of what they want, from aesthetic improvements to changing the flow or improving the functionality of their home.

When it comes to home remodeling, you have three approaches to consider. You can do-it-yourself (DIY), contract-it-yourself (CIY), or hire a design-build-remodel professional. Your final decision rests on several factors, including how handy you are, the scope of the work, and your experience level. Of course, some projects are great DIY weekend projects, while others are best left to the professionals like Design-Build-Remodelers.

Below, we will look at some of the types of projects that lend themselves to a DIY approach. In part two of this series, we will look at CIY opportunities, and part three will discuss when working with a design-build-remodel professional makes sense for more complicated remodeling projects. Part three, the final article in the series, has a home repair and remodeling spreadsheet where projects categorized as either DIY, CIY, or Design-Build-Remodel. This chart is perfect for homeowners who, at a glance, can see whether to take on a home improvement or remodeling project themselves or with professional help.

First Step: Define the Scope of Work and Make A Plan

The first step in planning your project is to define the scope of work. Start by taking a comprehensive look at everything you'd like to accomplish while taking into account your available time if you'll be doing the work, the costs involved, including specialized tools and equipment rentals, and the timeframe for completing the project.

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For larger projects, like a three-season porch, you'll want someone to inspect your home and check the systems. It's often worth it to bring in a professional to look at the overall project and plan strategically. A design-builder has the experience to figure out the scope of work, break down how to phase the job, and strategize. They can assist with any design changes, and present a proposal and a bid. They can also let you know if a problem requires an urgent response, or can wait.

For some projects, like paving a driveway, installing a hot tub or replacing a roof, it might make more sense to contract it yourself. You should contract it yourself if the job requires a license, specialized equipment, takes a team, or requires specific knowledge.

Your Role in the Process

Whether you're swinging the hammer yourself, contracting it out to achieve your vision, or engaging a professional design-build-remodel contractor, you need to assume an active role in the process.

If you have the experience, the energy, and the desire, you can physically do the work. DIY is a great way to put your personal touch on your home, whether it's painting, installing wood laminate flooring, or finishing your basement. You'll save quite a bit of money, and you can put your savings toward higher-end finishes or must-have items.

Performing the "contractor" role will be a bit less of a hands-on, but you will still be involved on several creative levels. Whether you're creating the design or working with an architect, you will be supplying the artistic vision as the homeowner. You can take an active role in sourcing materials, whether it's discovering custom tile for the backsplash, choosing the slab for your natural stone countertops, or hunting down the perfect antique mirror for your new master bathroom.

Contract it yourself jobs tend to be less complicated. For example, painting the exterior or installing a hardwood floor are jobs best left to professionals and require contracting a painter or flooring contractor. For more complex tasks that may require multiple tradespeople, you should consider hiring a design-build-remodel professional. For example, remodeling your kitchen is a job best handled by a design-build contractor. Building permits, great design, required electrical work, and other associated trades demand a professional for a job done right.

What follows is the first article in a three-article series. This series provides recommendations, examples, and a spreadsheet of DIY, CIY, and projects best suited to Design-Build-Remodel professionals.

Easy Do-It-Yourself Upgrades

Whether you have experience or are a DIY novice, there are plenty of projects around the house that are ideally suited for the handy homeowner of any skill level. Cosmetically, there are plenty of simple, low-cost ways to improve your home's style, from freshening up space with a new coat of paint to adding accessories and design elements.

Here are several easy DIY upgrades that the typical homeowner can accomplish easily, economically, and quickly.

Painting Walls

Painting is one of the easiest ways to give your space an aesthetic upgrade. It's not always fast or easy, but a simple coat of paint can completely change the feel of a space. Taking the time to prep is the key to a professional job. Use painters tape and use trending colors like neutrals to give your home a crisp new look.

Design Upgrades: Fixtures, Mirrors, and Accessories

Much like painting, changing fixtures, adding accessories, and replacing appliances are an easy, and sometimes an inexpensive way to upgrade the look and functionality of your home. Sometimes even freshening up the decorating can transform your space without requiring a complicated and expensive remodel. Changing out fixtures like lights, faucets, or replacing dated appliances can completely change the look and feel of a room.

If your cabinets don't have knobs or handles, you can install them yourself with careful measurements, a template, and a sharp set of drill bits. Precision is what sets apart an average job from professional results, so take your time and take care to achieve your goals!

Upgrade Your Space With Quality Laminate Flooring

Flooring isn't typically a DIY project; however, installing laminate flooring can be accomplished by a "DIYer" with a minimum of experience. If you can make clean saw cuts, and have about a full day for each room that needs flooring, laminate flooring is a great weekend project.

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Installing flooring yourself can save you a lot of money and is a great way to give any room a facelift. Be sure to stagger the boards and run them vertically with the broadest part of the room. Quality laminate is relatively affordable, with a variety of quality levels and price points. You might also upgrade to an engineered wood floor, which even stands up to a couple of rounds of screening or refinishing, meaning that you'll enjoy beautiful floors for years to come.

The work that will set apart a DIY job compared to a professional job is to install base shoe moulding around the baseboard after you are done with the new floor. Remember that laminate and engineered flooring requires expansion gaps at the perimeter, so the base shoe is needed. And be sure to ask for "base shoe," not "quarter-round," because those two trims have different profiles. Quarter-round is the wrong trim to use, and base shoe is what the professionals install.

Customizing Your Home With Built-In's

Adding built-in's to your home is a project that straddles the line between DIY and working with a design-build-remodel professional. If you have some DIY experience, today, there is a selection of manufactured furniture, shelving, cabinetry, and other such products available to customize your home. Creating built-ins for an entertainment center, window seat, mudroom, or other spaces can be a dramatic improvement. Many homeowners can accomplish these projects themselves using off the shelf furniture and shelving kits that can be purchased online or from big-box retailers. On the other hand, if you are looking for something truly custom, with higher quality materials than is available from Wayfair, Houzz, or Ikea, then you will want a remodeling professional to be involved in helping create the look that you will love.

Coming Up In The Next Two Articles

This is the DIY section of our three-part series. Article two of three, CIY or Contract-It-Yourself, is next up. This article will help you understand when it makes sense to contract out your remodeling project. Blog three of three covers projects best left to design-build-remodel firms due to their complexity. Article three will also have an easy to understand spreadsheet that outlines which projects are DIY, CIY, or Design-Build-Remodel.

If you're planning a remodeling project, or just want to explore the possibilities, give our award-winning design team a call at (608) 846-5963. We're always happy to talk to you about our process, and explore the possibilities!