DIY or Professional Bathroom Remodeling Service – What to Choose?
Bathroom remodeling can be complex. Even the best of DIYers break into a cold sweat at the thought of doing the bathroom themselves. With good reason, of course. Bathroom remodeling requires training in specialized skill sets just like in many other professions.
That’s because there can be no bathroom remodeling without the talk of new plumbing lines, tiling, and electrical work. Getting these intricate things right, and making sure they are installed safely requires some experience.
Skillset regarding expected things is one thing. Let’s talk about what happens during unforeseen circumstances. What about rotten flooring under the sink or the badly rusted shower hardware or the cracks encountered while removing the fixed tub? Sometimes, problems can even remain hidden in plain sight. You may not always know what to do first.
And then there’s the time limit to consider too. This is all the more important if you happen to have a single bathroom in your house. You can’t close the bathroom indefinitely, even for remodeling. Imagine the inconvenience if you can’t get it done in time!
With all these deadlines driving you crazy, sometimes, the best solution is to hire a professional contractor who will see the complete job through while you sit back and relax. At other times, a combination can work. Our advice is to combine a DIY approach for some aspects while hiring a professional for the others.
Remember, there is no point taking on more than you can handle. You may end up wasting more money than what you save in the long run.
The list below compares both DIY remodeling and professional remodeling in terms of different factors involved in bathroom refurbishing.
Contents
1. Costs
Let’s face the fact: Doing any kind of home improvement the DIY way is certainly going to cost you much less than hiring professionals.
For instance, bathroom remodeling can cost you somewhere between $3,000 to $30,000, with most contractors charging $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the size of the bathroom. Other cost factors to be considered are the local labor rates, quality of materials used, whether or not you are changing the layout, etc.
On the other hand, a DIY bathroom remodel will cost you anywhere between $1,500 to $10,000, or somewhere between $70 and $100 per square foot. As a result, DIY remodel can save you up to 50% of the total estimate in some cases. However, you may still need to call in professionals for complicated plumbing and electrical work.
On the flip side, there is no parallel to the convenience of getting the work done professionally while you lay back and watch the space come alive. Additionally, professionals take much less time to complete the work and do it with precision. If it is just a basic remodel, then perhaps it is possible to do it yourself with the right tools.
2. Time
It doesn’t take two guesses to conclude that you as a DIYer will probably take months to complete the remodel. Whereas the professional contractors will hand you over the completed job, say within a few weeks.
By doing the bathroom yourself, you may save big bucks but in turn, you might have to spend painstakingly in terms of time. Whoever said time is money, right?
Let’s be practical. Unless you have a spare bathroom, it is highly inconvenient to block the only one you have. How can you manage without it for months on end? On the other hand, if you have a second bathroom, by all means, go ahead and enjoy your DIY project. Otherwise, it is advised to touch a few selected aspects and leave the rest to the professionals.
3. Framing
This includes basic carpentry work like fixing the enclosures for a shower, installing insulation, fixing the cabinets, etc.
It’s good fun too. Those with a penchant for DIY prefer to do these tasks themselves. Yet this job requires a high-level of precision. Every fixture you install has its individual specifications that must be followed to the letter. Proceed with this on a DIY basis only if you have prior experience doing something like this.
4. Plumbing and Wiring
You do not have to be a genius to carry out the plumbing in your bathroom remodeling. Yet, a seasoned plumber will always have an edge over you in terms of the right knowledge.
Not only the work gets done on time but these experts are also well equipped to deal with any unforeseen issue, arising in the course of the work.
In our honest opinion, plumbing and wiring are best left to the professional electricians, seasoned plumbers, and HVAC contractors.
Remember that bathroom renovation needs to comply with building regulations and a professional will follow those in terms of wiring, plumbing, ventilation, etc. It might not always be possible for you to have such a thorough knowledge of the same.
So, it goes without saying that hiring a professional is going to save you a lot of headaches later.
5. Laying the Floor
Most DIYers find it a breeze to tackle flooring.
This is typically true for certain kind of flooring options. Take for instance, vinyl planks that are super easy to install. No need to pay for a job that you can very well do yourself and enjoy at the same time. Once you are familiar with the technique, it will take only a couple of days to lay the floor.
6. Installing Cabinets and Countertops
Unless you happen to house a huge bathroom, cabinets and countertops can be tackled easily. Of course, the professionals with their expertise can do it much quicker. Yet, this is no way a rocket science that you will take forever to understand.
There are many small vanity countertops available that DIYers can install themselves. Besides, these vanity tops are available in a range of configurations which implies that you can straightaway pick the one you want. There is no need to bring in the professionals for this unless you haven’t done DIY before.
7. Painting Your Bathroom
Most DIYers prefer to paint their bathrooms themselves. You can save at least $380 to $800 when you take the task upon yourself. Besides, this is a hit with many DIY enthusiasts who are doing this for the first time.
8. Installing a Shower/Tub
This is a little complicated as it involves minute details like precision in cutting the tiles, fixtures that need to be leveled properly plus finishing details that need a lot of skilled expertise.
Also, professional contractors are better equipped to deal with any unforeseen problems like leaks, replacing of subflooring, covering the gaps, dealing with structural damage, etc. As far as possible, leave this task to the experts who can do this work far better than most of us.
9. Installing a Faucet or a Sink
This part is easy, provided you already have the pipes connected to the sink with the drainpipe running out. There is no need to blow money on hiring a plumber. However, in case the remodeling involves the pipes moving to a new location, it is advised to call in an expert.
10. Laying Bathroom Tiling
In case you have taken upon yourself to replace the floor, you can work out an arrangement with your contractor where you can save dough by removing the tiles yourself. You can save yourself more bucks by doing the flooring yourself. You should be able to figure out a way to cut some corners here, provided you are up to the task yourself.