I was recently involved in a discussion about whether or not a relatively complex plumbing procedure could be considered a DIY job.
This was no simple job. It was the kind of thing that involves tearing out tile and cutting pipes, which, depending on the material of your plumbing can be an art in-and-of-itself.
It brings up a question: What exactly is or isn’t a DIY job and when is it time to hire a pro?
The answer to that question can be fairly complex. It depends on time, money, skill level, tools available, and the laws and codes involved.
I really don’t think there is a clear-cut solution. Some DIY’ers are as skilled as a pro, while others should really stick with simple projects.
So I asked myself… what are ten reasons to take the plunge and hire a pro?
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It’s often required by law.
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A good contractor can navigate the process.
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A contractor takes on the responsibility and risk.
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A contractor can coordinate all of the parties from day one.
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An experienced pro can keep a simple job simple.
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Professionals have the right tools for the job.
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A contractor knows how to keep a jobsite safe.
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A real pro is aware of product options and can help you decide.
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Simply put – a contractor knows how to do the job right.
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A contractor on the job means you can be somewhere else!
Over the next few posts, I’m going to elaborate on each of these points, so if you’re considering a choice between the DIY route and the option of hiring a pro, stay tuned.
The posts will be available in the “Hiring a Contractor” category.
I’m open to comments… more reasons? Reasons not to hire a pro?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I always think of hiring a professional when I need the job done quickly. There is nothing worse than having a bathroom completely unusable for a month when a good contractor could knock the job out in a week.
A pro can be slow in understanding (listening to?) what the client actually needs. A client likes nothing more than being pressured to conform to a design just to get a design chosen {tongue-in-cheek}.
A Pro can also keep increasing the costs even before the design is complete, let alone any actual work being started.
A Pro can also be a nag about starting a job because the economy is slow and they have no other jobs to do to keep their office people employed – again, whether it fits the clients’ schedule or not.
Can you tell we have worked with an old pro? I would still go with a pro over DImyself, but the pro needs to remember who is paying them to do the job. And this is NOT to say that clients can’t be absolute noodges themselves. Just don’t push each others buttons based on economic fears that may or may not become reality, life is too short. Besides great word-of-mouth advertising is free…so is silence…