Contractor or DIY?
The Differences Between a Contracted and a DIY Home Renovation If you are looking to sell your home sooner or later, home renovations increase the home's value. Doing your home renovation yourself sounds exciting and
By Truman Fleming · · 3 min read
The Differences Between a Contracted and a DIY Home Renovation
If you are looking to sell your home sooner or later, home renovations increase the home's value. Doing your home renovation yourself sounds exciting and intriguing, especially for handy homeowners. The truth is that you cannot handle all home renovations by yourself. Some renovations can be more than you think or more than you can take. Hence, the need to hire professional contractors to handle the more cumbersome home renovations.
Here, we look at some home renovations that you can do yourself and some that require the touch of professional contractors.
STRUCTURAL REPAIR
To preserve the structural integrity of your home, no one should be allowed to affect the structural parts of the building except qualified professionals. Some structural repairs need the combined services of an architect and contractor, and even a structural engineer in some cases because the well-being of the house depends greatly on these structural repairs. Some of these structural repairs include repairs to the foundation, the supporting walls, the roof, the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system, and supporting pillars.
VERDICT: CONTRACTED RENOVATION
COSMETIC REPAIR
Cosmetic repairs include furniture and décor, wall color, flooring, kitchen cabinets, and countertops. Cosmetic repairs always scream Do It Yourself because it requires a lot of customization and is based mainly on the homeowner's preference. Also, they usually consist of simple tasks that can be easily completed by you or with loved ones. These repairs can be easily learned off the internet on websites like YouTube.
VERDICT: DIY RENOVATION
PAVING A DRIVEWAY
Whether you want to install paving stones, stamped concrete, or another type of driveway, seasoned professionals possess the measurement and skills required to create your driveway. The construction of some driveways, like asphalt driveways, involves using specific equipment that an average homeowner does not have nor needs to have.
VERDICT: CONTRACTED RENOVATION
INSTALLING TRACK LIGHT
Setting up track lighting is a task that the homeowner can do. However, it is vital to possess basic electrical skills. Some of the tools you would need to complete this task include an electrical tester, electrical tape, electrical cables, the light kit, wire connectors, and wire strippers, or a pair of pliers.
VERDICT: DIY RENOVATION
WALL DEMOLISHING AND TREE REMOVAL
Removing a wall is more complicated than throwing a sledgehammer into the walls a few times. It requires proper planning and execution. One important thing is determining if the wall is a supporter wall, a load-bearing wall, or an ordinary partition wall. To avoid substantial structural damage to your building, wall demolition should be left to contractors. REmoving a fallen tree can also be a daunting task because if the tree is not removed correctly, it can cause massive damage to your house and landscape. It can also be a risk to you if you intend to cut it yourself.
VERDICT: CONTRACTED RENOVATION
FINAL THOUGHT
At the earliest stage of any home renovation project for your home, it is advisable to seek consultation from a professional contractor to understand the renovation scope and to know if it will be better to DIY or employ a contractor to handle the project.
We have an extensive list of local professionals to help you with your home remodeling projects. From plumbers, electricians, general contractors to even tax attorneys! Take a look at our preferred vendor list here! Know someone that does excellent work and that we should have on our list? Drop us a line below 
