I’m a former remodeling contractor. I was a full-service general contractor for almost 20 years. I read stories about “Do It Yourself” projects, and watch some of the home improvement shows with amusement. Why? Because they don’t tell the whole story. Let me explain what I mean.

When I was a contractor, I often spoke with homeowners who were planning on doing a home improvement project. I would ask if they had ever done something like this before, and I would often be told “no”. They were researching how to do the project, and wanted to let me know that by doing this themselves, they could save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. But here is the “rest of the story”. If I would initiate a call to check in some time later, more often than not, I was greeted with anger and frustration. Simply, the project they had hoped to finish over 1 or 2 weekends, with the 40 hours of labor they estimated, had now climbed to over 75 to 80 hours, and the project still wasn’t completed. They were frustrated, and their spouse was frustrated. Angry is another word I can use here. They will often find themselves turning to home improvement contractors similar to Home Pro America to help them to get the job finished.

For most projects, there is a learning curve. Here is what can happen:

• When you undertake a home improvement project for the 1^st time, you won’t be making 1 trip to the hardware store for supplies, you will be making 3 or 4 trips as you learn what the project really requires.
• It never goes according to plan, because many homeowners have no experience on which to base a realistic plan.
• You will be undergoing “on the job training”. Simply, you are a rookie, and there will be mistakes.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against “do it yourself” projects. You can learn how to do these things, but in most cases, I want you to know that you won’t be saving time, and if you put a price on your time, you won’t be saving money. Home improvement is not rocket science, but it does take experience to do it efficiently, and well. When undertaking a new home improvement project, allow for that learning curve, budget for that extra time, and approach it as an experience to learn more about your home. If you like working around the house, and find it relaxing, you may have the mental and emotional make-up to be a good do-it-yourselfer.

However, if you are trying to save time or money and have a very full schedule, you may be setting the stage for frustration. As I said earlier, no new project will go according to plan. In light of that, double your estimate of how much time something might take. If you complete the project in less time, congratulations. If you don’t have extra time and don’t want to deal with the frustration that comes with home improvement, then hire a pro. It will be a much nicer experience that way.