DIY vs hiring a pro

In My Humble Opinion
1

There was an interesting discussion on an FQ thread about someone wanting to break gravel up to improve the base of their driveway. The discussion brings to mind the issue of when do you choose to hire a pro vs doing a project yourself.

Years ago, I used to do many of my own auto repairs. I’m not now, nor was I then, particularly knowledgeable about cars or skilled in the use of tools. However, I did some repairs (e.g. replacing a carburetor or points and plugs, or a muffler) myself as I didn’t have the money to pay a mechanic at the time. Frequently, these repairs were exercises in frustration - couldn’t get a bolt off, bought the wrong part, or injured myself doing something dumb. To be sure, there was a certain pride when able to successfully complete a repair, but I found the exercise frustrating enough that as soon as I was able to afford it I paid someone else to do it.

The way I see it, a car is one of the biggest investments you’ll make so why risk possibly damaging one’s investment by making some rookie mistake that a pro would never do. If I enjoyed the challenge of discovering one can’t quite reach a certain screw without figuring out that one has to remove a different part of the engine to adequately access the screw then maybe it would be worth it, but I find only frustration and no pleasure there.

What about you, would you replace a water heater yourself or hire a pro? How about replacing a sink? What about re-sod your lawn? Sew a Halloween costume? Making a cake for a wedding? Patch broken drywall? Paint a two-story house exterior? Replace a muffler? Do your own taxes for home and business? Construct a bookshelf? Pour your own driveway?

When do you choose to do something yourself vs paying someone else to do it?

2

I’ve built many bookshelves and made nice oak side tables and loads of other projects.

I use to work on cars, but this was when the cars were far simpler. Once I bought my first new car in the 90s, I basically stopped doing engine work. I stopped even doing oil changes when I bought my Prius. Carburetors rebuilt, valve jobs done, etc. Though I wouldn’t do brakes. Everything else if I screwed up the car might not run. Brakes worried me as the car might not stop.

I’ve patched drywall. In fact I put up a drywall wall in my last basement. Reshaped an exterior door that was gnawed on by a groundhog.
Maintained a wooden boat for 25 years and helped build its replacement.

I’ve rebuilt grill frames. Do most of my electrical work. Some of my plumbing. All my wood working.

I suck at vertical tiles and try to avoid that.

3

I have 2 criteria when it comes to DIY:

  1. Do I have the skill to do it properly?
  2. Is it worth my time/expense? Expense in this case being how much specialized equipment will I also have to purchase or rent to accomplish the task.

If both 1 and 2 are within what i feel is acceptable then I’ll do it myself. If either one or the other is not met, I’m hiring a pro.

4

I can do plumbing, electrical, drywall, semi-skilled cabinetry, IT (30 year career), and taxes but the short answer is it depends.

I have installed electric water heaters, but when it came time to replace my gas power vent wh hired a pro. I converted my kitchen island to a peninsula and added a build in microwave, but hired out the cabinet painting. I do tax filings for my mother and mother-in-law, but use a pro for my own as they involve a family trust and a handful of interlinked corporations.

I use a matrix of cost, time, effort, safety, and outcome to decide. I avoid gas, high ladders, and things that need to look great not just good. If I can do it on a weekend with fewer than 3 trips to Home Depot, it is in consideration.

5

Have I?

No, yes, no, no, no, yes, no, yes, yes, no, no.

Will I?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, yes, no, no.

Although the OP’s list is heavily biased towards tasks involving extended low-skill drudgery. And no matter what age, I did not do drudgery. I did do a vast array of more interesting DIY tasks, so my personal view of my historical DIY willingness is probably 75% yes, 25% no.

My historical criteria: is it too heavy / awkward to do solo with just an occasional assist from a petite woman? Do I need to buy lots of expensive tools? Does it involve much simple drudgery? Is it a general topic (e.g. garment-making) which holds exactly zero interest for me? Any “yes” answer means “no” to the task. Otherwise “yes” to the task.

My current criteria: I don’t care what it is, pay the man. Though I still do my own taxes; it’s less work to do them than to impart the data and historical understanding to a pro.

Now that I live in an apartment I don’t even change lightbulbs. Just call maintenance and Joe will be up in a few minutes with new bulbs.

6

My husband and I used to decide just based on skill and time and expense. But now there are a couple of other factors - how long will the job take ( not the time the actual work takes, but the elapsed time from start to finish) and how much pain we will be in afterwards. When we were in our thirties, it was fine to replace a couple of squares of sidewalk but in our forties we hired someone to do a larger job. And if if the first job had been more than a couple squares, we would have hired someone for that.

7

There’s also whether it’s something I actually want to do. Like last summer we had a big tree trunk and attached root system we were trying to remove from the yard:

  1. Do I have the skill? Sure

  2. Is it worth the time and expense? The only cost was buying a splitting maul which isn’t that expensive, but the time probably wasn’t worth it.

  3. Do I want to spend a bunch of hours over the summer smashing wood into smaller wood? You betcha!

Although finally we did get to a point where we had to hire someone to grind it down. The roots were fine but the core stump weighed too much for me to move without equipment. It was that or spend another summer chopping it into splinters.

Another project I’ve taken on is painting and staining the wood trim, banisters, and doors. The weirdos who used to own our house never finished any of that over the 20 years they lived there. So I went on YouTube and became an expert on professionally staining stuff. My wife was a bit apprehensive because when she was a child, her inept parents tried staining doors and whatnot and ended up looking like shit to this day. I’m like:
Did they sand the doors first?
No
Did they wipe the doors down with mineral oil to clean and remove any lingering deposits?
No
Did they apply pre-stain conditioner?
No
Did they apply several coats of Minwax oil-based stain, wiping the excess before it dried, then lighting rubbing with steel wool?
No
Did they apply several more coats of Minwax oil-based semi-gloss poly finish, lightly sanding between coats to apply a protective sheen?
No

So what did they do? Just slap on a can of stain as if it were paint and leave it and then stuff kept sticking to the door for the next year?
Uh…yeah

8

I have a third: am i fussier about some details than a professional would be?

I do all my own gardening because I’d be crushed if i came home and found the lawn guy had weed-whacked a seedling i imported from Canada, at great expense (due to needing a phytosanitary certificate and all that.) I did hire someone to do the fall clean up, though, because that’s just leaf blowers and rakes, much lower risk.

I’m trying to reseed my lawn (ripped up by construction) because I’m fussy about what kind of grass i want growing there. I’m trying to do all fescues, without rye or bluegrass.

But i have a team of professionals building stuff in my basement right now.

9

replace a water heater yourself or hire a pro? Pro
How about replacing a sink? Pro
What about re-sod your lawn? Me
Sew a Halloween costume? I’ve done both
Making a cake for a wedding? I’ve done both
Patch broken drywall? Probably pro, unless it’s small
Paint a two-story house exterior? Pro
Replace a muffler? Pro
Do your own taxes for home and business? Husband
Construct a bookshelf? Buy it constructed, or get it used
Pour your own driveway? Pro

10

But why would they know to go through all the steps you described? I mean, why would they suspect that applying stain would be any more involved than applying paint? We’re fortunate to live in the age of the internet. There’s a video out there for virtually any project one can think to do. Some things appear to be deceptively simple, but in fact turn out to be much more involved or complicated than they might seem.

Mrs. Cardigan has a coffee cup that says “don’t mistake your Google search for my law degree.” Frequently she gets hired to resolve messes that other people created by trying to save a buck and doing something themselves. Some things that appear on the surface to be quite simple can prove to be quite complex, if only we possessed adequate knowledge about it to be able to recognize this (and no, I’m not suggesting drafting a sales agreement or articles of incorporation using forms on the internet is comparable to the wood staining example)

11

Have to say my criteria are very similar to

As for the OP’s list:

Hire a pro. Back when I used to get work assisting a general contractor I helped replace a couple of these. At this point I wouldn’t have the physical strength to do this solo outside of a very small appliance and making the proper connections would involve natural gas, electricity, or both, neither of which I have the confidence to do on my own. Under the direction of someone qualified? Sure. I can follow directions. On my own? Nope.

Oh, lord, if I absolutely had to, yeah, I could do that but I’d probably want an extra pair of hands to make the job easier. Would prefer to hire an actual plumber if finances allowed.

Ugh. Lawn care. Sure, if I could rent the needed tools for the job (mostly a sod roller). And it wasn’t too huge of a lawn.

No problem, right up my alley.

I could do that - although I’d probably call my friend who does this as a side gig for advice.

Yep, I’d do that. I used to do that for pay, remember what I said about helping out a general contractor? I’ve done small drywall jobs for friends.

Did that for pay in the past, too. I could do it, although I’m getting to an age where if I had the bucks to pay someone else to climb the ladder I’d do that.

Nope, nope, nope - I don’t do car repairs. Well, OK, I’ve replaced tail lights and windshield wipers and done tiny stuff like that, but I have neither the skills nor the tools to do this.

Nope. When my late spouse started out as an entrepreneur we got an accountant. Worth every penny. I’m still using him for my taxes. Could I do my own taxes? Yeah, I expect I could but I find it aggravating and stressful enough it’s worth to me to out-source that.

Yep, no problem, been there, done that.

Nope, nope, nope.

You’re living in a more upscale building than I do, then. Still change my own lightbulbs. I’ve also changed a couple for elderly neighbors and make a few minor repairs to window screens. Also made sure the management knew about it, which might have something to do with keeping my rent low because I’m the sort of tenant that makes a place better, not worse.

As a general rule: I don’t do my own auto repairs, plumbing, electrical work, or taxes. I will educate myself on topics before and while consulting professionals, but I know I’m not a mechanic, plumber, electrician, or accountant even if I have assisted all of the above at some time or have a teeny bit of knowledge of some areas of those realms. There are a few things I’m OK with doing around the edges of those areas but I know my limitations.

12

I’ve done plenty of things that were way above my pay grade just because I’m cheap. I’ve installed gas appliances (water heater, stove, dryer) with no problem, but I have since been told that they really require a pro. I’ve done basic plumbing, can sweat copper, etc. I once replace a defective circuit breaker which really had me nervous (standing in a puddle of water in the basement).

Things I would never attempt? Replacing a torsion spring over a garage door is one. I’ve also given up on any chainsaw work involving working from a ladder.

13

The first time I stained something ( floors) there was no internet and therefore no videos to watch. And I wouldn’t have known to go through the steps that were described -in fact, I didn’t and still don’t go through all of them ( no mineral oil and no conditioner). But here’s the reason I suspected that stain was not exactly the same as paint - they look different. I mean, the reason I’m using stain rather than paint is almost certainly for the different look. And although as I said there was no internet or videos , there were the instructions on the can and books and magazines

14

Has anybody told you why they require a pro ? I’ve heard that the law here requires you to use a plumber , but every thing I’ve seen ( including on plumbing company websites) refers to either running new gas lines or moving one. You’d think if a plumber was legally required to connect a new stove to an existing gas line, the plumbing company websites would mention it.

15

This is my criteria as well. I’ve done some decent repairs in the past simply because I couldn’t afford to pay for it.

Water Heater: I installed a new water back in 1998 simply because I didn’t have the money to pay a professional. If it had been a gas heater, I would have gone a month or two until I could afford a professional for the job. The experience was an exercise in frustration, what would have taken a professional team an hour to accomplish took me the better part of the day, but I got it done.

Car Repairs: I replaced the bumper, grill, and hood of my father’s 1983 El Camino after I hit a tree. I used to have to do minor repairs and maintenance on the vehicle like mess with the carburetor, changing filters, etc., etc. But I don’t really do any of that with my Toyota these days because the cars are way too complicated.

Tree Trimming: I’m not a fan of chainsaws, so I’m not doing anything that requires me to use one. I’ll hire a tree guy to take care of it.

16

Replace a water heater yourself? Done it several times.
How about replacing a sink? Several times.
What about re-sod your lawn? Only a little bit but tons of prep for seeding.
Sew a Halloween costume? Does gluing a Halloween costume count?
Making a cake for a wedding? No. Catered weddings but not the cake.
Patch broken drywall? Done it. Installed a lot of drywall also. Did the interior framing on a an addition as large as the rest of the house. Plus installed new windows and doors.
Paint a two-story house exterior? Only helped above the first floor but did 2 whole 1 story houses.
Replace a muffler? Did it once. Much easier and only cost a little more to take it to a shop after that.
Do your own taxes for home and business? Did it a few times then used accountants for years. Now TurboTax and my wife is willing to do it with that.
Construct a bookshelf? Several times
Pour your own driveway? Had gravel driveways until putting my first house up for sale then got a deal on getting it paved with asphalt. But all that gravel had to be spread. Sometimes I paid guys to do that part.

Also, done most plumbing and electrical work on the houses. Built decks, Tiled kitchens and bathrooms. Endless interior painting. Redid my first house with wood trim and finishing. The original half of my current house is a log cabin with all wood interior and I’ve done everything on that including making custom molding, and door and window frames. The list would go on for a long time. And it was worth it even if it contributed to my current physical condition which permits little of that anymore.

17

Almost everything i’m on the “paying someone else” train. The gotcha of course is of course when you have zero knowledge of how car mechanics and house construction/maintenance works you are completely at the mercy of whoever you are paying to do the work. “1000 bucks to replace the right mangleworzel valve? Sure, sounds legit”

The one exception is changing a flat tire, I’d hardly consider that “doing a repair” more just something you have to do occasionally as a car owner, but I am shocked at the number of people I speak to who would not do that (so many in fact that car companies are trying to get rid of spare tires as a thing which is bonkers to me)

18

I’ve always done my own landscaping/gardening. That includes tree planting and light to moderate trimming/removal of limbs.

When it comes to taking down large dead or dying trees or giant limbs, it’s a job for the pros.

19

I would rather do nothing than most of these jobs. By nothing I mean read, play and listen to music, write, hike, hang out with friends. I have done many of the jobs in the past, and while they gave a small sense of satisfaction, it was outweighed by the sense of having lost time to other pursuits with a bigger personal “pay-off.” And living in an apartment means no storage/work space other than my desk and kitchen table, and I have been barred from using the latter. I’m not thrilled that my ability to do some tasks has declined from lack of use, but not so upset as to buy the tools and practice the skills to get back to a reasonable degree of proficiency. I have a dimmer switch I may install, or may call the BIL or a professional to do.

20

I built a fence with gate single-handedly.
Let me start out by saying the reason for this was the shit-fences built in my neighborhood for thousands of dollars. Untreated low-grade cedar pickets. Ground creep tearing out the bottom of the fence. They can’t even get the space between the pickets close to being consistent.
My first attempt was a $800 class in what not to do. My design and methodology were perfect for where I grew up - Southern California. After a week in Norther Colorado, my half-built fence was warped and gaps formed between the wood. I had to tear the entire thing out and start with new timbers. But what did I learn?
Put up your fence in one weekend. All of the parts support all of the other parts from warping.
Having the pickets next to each other is not good. They will gap. There is a reason the fences here are pickets with a 1/4" gap.
Seal your wood. That I didn’t learn from my failed fence but rather the horrible ghost-town condition of the cedar pickets in the neighborhood.

I got a crapton of cedar pickets and to make a true privacy fence I shadowboxed them. Run three pickets horizontally cut to the length of the panel spaced 2 1/2’ apart. Alternate pickets front and back with 1" overlap. Make the fence frame with lots of braces and set it with a little concrete but mostly rock and sand. Attach the panels and the gate. Drink a beer. Admire your work. A week later seal it (I used Thompson UV). What did I get for my effort? The best looking fence in the neighborhood - one exactly as I wanted it. Even counting the $800 first run it probably came out cheaper than hiring it out. And it is in great condition. A year later in NoCo and no warping, the pickets look great and straight still. And the ultimate intangible on a large DIY project: you can look at it with pride, “I did that!”