When you are a homeowner it makes sense to learn as much as you can about home repair and maintenance. To hire somebody every time something goes wrong or needs to be updated can end up costing a fortune. That said, there are times when it makes sense to hire a pro, even if you can save money by doing it yourself. House painting is one such gray area. It can cost less to do it yourself in theory but it may make sense to hire out.
In this article, we will go over some of the scenarios you may face when thinking about painting your home. With this information you should be able to determine if it’s worth it to DIY or hire a pro.
The costs
It seems like it should cost less for you to do your own painting, but this may not be the case. There are some factors that make it expensive even when doing it yourself. First of all, the cost of hiring a painter is going to vary wildly between areas of the country. Albuquerque painters will cost far less than ones in NYC, for instance. If you live in a low cost of living area then you may find some of the prices to be low enough to justify hiring out. After all, time is money so if your time could be better spent working and making money then paying a painter makes sense. Do a proper audit of what it will take to do yourself in terms of material and even per hour labor costs so you can determine if your time is worth it or not. Then, get a quote from a local painter and compare.
How difficult is the job?
Not all paint jobs are straightforward. There could be factors that make the job much more difficult than you think it will be. The condition of the walls plays a huge factor into how the job is going to get done. Prep is the most important part of the job and if your prep involves having to repair the walls before you can paint then this is a job best left for professionals. You may also have some wallpaper over the walls that needs to be removed which requires special tools like a steamer which you’ll have to rent or buy.
There are some types of paint which also require special equipment to use. For instance, a lacquer paint can only be applied with a sprayer. If you have never used a paint sprayer before then it can be very tricky to get right. The cost of the paint and the time it would take you to do this only to find out you didn’t do it right could make it a bad idea.
The time
If you have an important timeline to get the job done then this should also factor into your decision. If you are trying to get the place painted before you move in and have a strict deadline then it makes more sense to hire out. A professional team can do in a couple of days what it would take you a week or more to do on your own in your spare time.
