Over the past few weeks, Liann and I have been sorely reminded of the value of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects. We are usually pretty budget-conscious when purchasing goods and services and try to ensure quality in these purchases.
As work has been increasingly busy and our discretionary income has increased as a result of being debt-free, we decided to treat ourselves to a little kitchen renovation! There were long discussions about whether or not this should be a DIY project, but in the end, we decided to hire a company of contractors to do the job. We were excited to use this company due to its glowing reviews and fair pricing.
Well let me tell you…its DIYs from here on out!
Our Reminder
By hiring a contracting company, we found ourselves dependent on others to complete the work in a timely fashion and deliver professional quality workmanship. Tragically, in our case, the company we hired was a massive dud. The saying “good help is hard to find” rang true for us.
The project took a lot longer than originally planned – we were scheduled for three days of work to completion. It’s now been five weeks! During this time, we experienced no-show days, changed our work schedules to accommodate the contractors, dealt with damaged property, and left with a gigantic mess. We experienced all of this just to discover that our flooring and kitchen backsplash were all installed improperly.
Now, this is not always the case with contracting companies. In fact, we have had some really excellent companies we have worked with and have been worth every penny…But not this company. That being said, whenever you hire a company, there is always a risk that you might not get what you think you paid for.
I believe that we truly got unlucky with this company. At the same time, I partially blame myself for taking the “easy way out” by hiring contractors instead of making the time for doing it as a DIY project.
The Value of DIY
DIY projects are so rewarding upon completion! The moment that you get to stand back and say, “Yeah, I did that!” is truly gratifying. By doing a DIY project, you tend to save money and learn something new.
Benefits of DIY
- Invest in self-growth by learning a new skill.
- Save money.
- Greater and continuous satisfaction every time you see what you accomplish.
- Control of the project’s outcome.
- You can make it a family activity. It’s free labor!
- A reason to buy power tools! (depending on the project)
Downsides of DIY
- Project can take a while to complete.
- Many trips to the hardware store unless you have materials on-hand.
- Bodily harm can occur if not careful.
Conclusion
Not every project can be done as a DIY. You must exercise good judgement when deciding on whether or not you are capable of completing the work. Lucky for us, in modern society, we have access to a seemingly endless amount of information via the internet right at our fingertips. With just a few hours of Googling (and a little YouTube on the side), you probably have a decent amount of understanding in how to begin your DIY project.
Do you have any horror experiences with contractors? Have you had any DIY projects you are particularly proud of? Share in the comments below!
