Do It Yourself Or Hire A Pro?

Even a long-time home improvement do-it-yourselfer like Rob Vets has asked the question: Should I tackle this project myself or to hire a pro?

(Wednesday, April 12, 2006) - The four-time homeowner has done everything from landscaping to kitchen remodeling. But for his latest project -- replacing the driveway of his West Haven, Conn., residence -- Vets is calling in some assistance. "I have no way to dispose of the old blacktop, so I will have to pay to have someone come in and rip out the old and haul it away," says Vets, who has replaced concrete driveways before. With the labor costs already factored in, having the same company finish the job will be most efficient, he says.

Vets is hardly alone in his preference to better his home himself. In a 2005 survey of 1,026 people conducted for Minwax, a wood-care-products company, 85 percent of the respondents said they were planning a home improvement project and of those, only 29 percent said they would hire a professional.

"There's this innate American sense that we should fix things up ourselves," says Gregg Hicks, director of marketing for ReliableRemodeler.com. He says that he sees it as the way to get the most out of a project -- provided you're willing to "roll up your sleeves and give up every weekend between now and 2008" to complete a home remodel.

The DIY trend has been fueled by the ease in finding project information. From home-improvement television shows and home-store seminars to the Internet bringing how-tos right to the workbench, opportunities to learn abound.

Experts say a project is more likely to become a DIY if the project's on the small side and if the homeowner is on the younger side. Growing up in a household where an adult tends to tackle in-house improvements -- like Vets, whose father would encourage his involvement in household projects -- also helps breed DIY confidence.

Of course, sometimes there's overconfidence. Dean Bennett, president of a Colorado-based design and construction firm, has seen many instances in which homeowners thought they knew everything but fell short.

Some things are just not as easy as you might think, he says. Say the idea is moving a wall to create some extra bathroom space. This could involve moving the plumbing in the basement, adding new floor framing, rerouting electrical wires, removing and replacing trim on the wall, matching the wall texture to the original, and painting.

Many homeowners with decent basic skills experience unexpected problems, says Jim Rocchetta, national marketing director for Handyman Connection, a network of more than 4,000 independent craftsmen. "A small problem can very quickly grow into a huge one. A sizeable percentage of our business each year, in fact, involves salvaging do-it-yourself projects that have gone wrong."

Here's how to determine the best route to take on your next home improvement project:

1. Assess your skills.
Dan Fritschen, author of "Remodel or Move?" says that before starting on home improvements, potential DIYers should ask: Do I enjoy physical labor and do I like getting dirty?

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