DIY Project Costs

| Last Updated: October 25, 2021

Let’s face it, styles and preferences change, things wear out and break, and accidents happen. If your home is in need of an upgrade or repair, you may feel frustrated and discouraged when pricing out professional help.

Can you save money by doing it yourself? The answer is an overwhelming, yes!

Doing projects on your own will undoubtedly save you money. But how much money can you save? What if you could cut your expenses by half or even more depending on the project? If you’re reasonably handy, have a few tools, and a whole lot of time, you should consider undertaking the project yourself.

When deciding to improve your home, whether you’re adding a deck, creating a garden pond, putting in a new wood floor, or replacing a stair railing, the first thing you need to consider is the cost.

First, get some general quotes online or from some local companies on the project. This will help you gauge how much you’ll be saving. Knowing how much money you kept in your pocket will keep you motivated especially on longer projects.

Beyond having the skills and learning how to do a DIY project, homeowners are most concerned with the cost. Do you have the tools you need or will you have to buy or rent some? There are often additional materials that aren’t evident at the onset of a project. Be sure to take all of these factors into consideration before undertaking your home improvement project.

The cost of installing a deck awning yourself is half the cost of hiring a professional, however, you’ll need several carpenter’s tools to complete the project. If you already have these tools or have access to them, it will keep your cost lower. If you have to buy or rent the tools, your cost goes up.

Our cost breakdowns can show you how much money you can save by doing the project yourself and help you understand the out-of-pocket costs you’ll incur.

For large projects like a kitchen remodel, break down the costs to smaller, individual steps to help the task and cost stay manageable, especially if you are new to DIY.

This can include the cost of replacing countertops, installing new cabinets, and replacing hardware such as lighting, the sink, and faucet. And don’t forget to add the cost for flooring and new paint to your remodel.

Many people who start projects fail to properly assess the amount of time, money, and work the project will take. We provide the information you need to help you better understand the scope of your project and you can find numerous Youtube videos to help you out along the way. It’s also helpful if you know someone who has done projects like this before and can give you some tips, pointers, or even put in some of their own time and energy to get the job done.

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Welcome! We hope you’ll find the job costs of home improvement projects useful when you’re deciding whether to do a job yourself vs. hire a contractor. We’re the authors of 20 home improvement books, most notably Home Improvement for Dummies©, Bathroom Remodeling for Dummies©, Carpentry for Dummies©, Plumbing for Dummies©, and Painting and Wallpapering for Dummies©. Our most recent book Fix It and Flip It is in its second edition. We’ve appeared as home improvement experts on television programs such as CNN, Dateline, the Today Show, HGTV and many others.