One DIY fan suggests that one should only pay someone when the task is incredibly complex or requires very specialized and expensive tools to pull it off. When posting on Reddit, he suggests that people should watch YouTube videos and buy cheap tools from Home Depot when fixing things around the house.
Other Reddit users aired their opinions on this post, some supporting him while others had different thoughts. Here are some of the best responses from this conversation;
Being Selective Helps
An ardent DIY guy has learned what to DIY and what not over time, “I’m a big DIY guy. Done pretty much everything. But now that I am experienced, I am a bit more selective. I won’t do things that require a tool I’ll never use again unless the tool is cheap. Secondly, I won’t do things where a big machine can do it much easier. Like grading my yard. A bobcat would do that in a few hours, not weeks, if I do it.”
It Is a Double-edged Sword
One user says DIY could go either the disaster way or be a saving grace, “This is a double-edged sword. I feel like I have to do EVERYTHING now. The fact that I CAN learn to do it makes me feel obligated TO LEARN it and do it. It’s exhausting. A subwoofer stopped working yesterday. Google told me I could fix it by replacing some capacitors. So I feel obligated to TRY and fix it with no guarantees.”
DIY Projects Take Forever
A user puts it right sarcastically, “Why pay someone to complete in two hours a task I can do in 30 weekends? Seems wasteful.”
It Is Expensive To Pay a Professional To Undo What One Has Done
One user notes that it will be more expensive if a professional has to come in to undo your mistake, “The only thing more expensive than paying a professional to do something is paying a professional to undo what you have done and then do it correctly.”
Factor Time Into the Equation
As one user notes, DIY projects take a long time, “I tend to factor time into the equation as well. If it’s going to take me 8 hours on a Saturday to do something, I’ll consider paying someone else to do it because I want my time to do other things.”
Rent Out Tools Instead of Buying
If you insist on going the DIY way, you can rent out tools instead of buying; as one user notes, “Home Depot and Lowes also rent tools out, so you don’t have to buy something that you might only use once.”
DIY Is Convenient for Some People
If you live in a remote area, you do not have many options. As one user points out, “We live remotely enough that it’s very difficult to get pros to come to fix things, so we’ve had to become diy’ers. I’ll say it’s really saved us tons. My husband even learned to fix our well (that was a scary one) on YouTube.”
Some People Create New Problems When Trying To Fix Old Ones
Some people are not meant for doing DIYs, “I don’t have the hardened, competent manual labor hands my grandfather has; unfortunately, I have the clumsy accountant hands my dad has. If I try and replace anything besides the chain in my toilet, it’ll probably take me 4 hours, and I’ll fix the original problem but create a new one.”
It Depends on the Cost and Time
Another user looks at the cost and time factor before deciding what to do, “I think it really depends. If it’s simple and people charge a fortune for it, then DIY is the way. If it’s going to cost a lot of time and money, even just equipment rentals, it’s not worth it. Time is money. I work multiple jobs, and I’ve just learned to let DIY projects go because I probably won’t do that great of work, and it will take me forever to do it. But granted, if I worked one job, without overtime, I’d probably be willing to take on more DIY projects.”
Spend Money on an Expert if You Want the Job To Be Done Well
One user offers their personal experience with DIY, “I live in a house previously owned by a DIY tile guy. My kitchen floor is uneven, and the shower tiles don’t offer proper drainage. There’s extra grout that’s there until I replace the entire shower. Which I will eventually, and when I do, I will spend the money to pay someone with expertise to do the job right. God knows I won’t, and I dealt with the subpar work long enough.”
Pros Have High-Quality Materials
As this user notes, you cannot expect to get access to high-quality materials as a DIY guy, “Similarly, someone else might have better access to higher quality materials at a lower price than what I can get. Let’s say pesticide application. A pro can get the stuff that works because they have a license. I can only get the crap that’s mediocre, and most pests are resistant to it.”
Sometimes DIY Saves Money
One user points out how they save money going the DIY way, “Just got done grooming my two mini schnauzers. That saves about $150!”
“My husband and I have DIY’d all of the cosmetic changes to our house and have saved thousands of dollars. We’ve done flooring, wallpaper removal, paint, etc., and have discovered that we are pretty good at it :)” added another user.
DIY Projects Never Match the YouTube Videos
No matter what they do, some projects never match the videos; as this user points out, “What I struggle with in terms of DIY is that my project never matches the YouTube video. I run into issues that aren’t explained or have non-standard hardware installed, or someone else messed it up 50 years ago and hid their mistake. So I’ll get halfway through a project, hit a wall in my ability to finish, and have to hire help or call in a favor from family.”
Factor in Your Health
Health matters, as this user points out, “You have to factor in your time and your health. I work hourly, and my job is available 24/7 from home. It’s cheaper for me to outsource many things so I can work more hours.”
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This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.
