According to the Liberty Mutual Insurance New Beginnings Report, 71% of Americans have plans to tackle a DIY project this year, with cost savings being the main reason. More and more people are DIYing. It's a heart-warming and exciting statistic that we can relate to--afterall, that's how this whole blog really started. We just couldn't afford to hire the job out (we're looking at you, tile), so we googled searched until we felt confident to move forward. Or we couldn't afford the light fixture of our dreams--so we made it. Or when we made sweet garden beds ourselves on the cheap. It's as gratifying to save money as it is to see what your own hands can do.
More recently, our goals have changed regarding our home a little bit. It could be due to us getting older or our financial situation being a little more stable, but producing an imitation of a product we love for as little money as possible is no longer the goal. Sometimes, we'd rather just save our money a little longer for that thing we really want. On the contrary, we are currently drawing up plans to DIY a dining room table, so there are definitely exceptions. haha! But! Where our DIY, money-saving spirit still comes alive is saving money on labor and doing tasks ourselves when we can. The most concrete and staggering example I can offer today is the money we have saved by installing all of our new light fixtures ourselves.
Upgrading fixtures is actually one of the top things you can do to add resale value to your home. Room by room, we have been swapping out our outdated or builder grade lights for something more in line with the vision of our home. In the past year and a half or so that we've lived here, we have replaced or added 16 fixtures. (3 in the reading room, our dining room chandelier, 1 in the entry, 1 in the stairwell, 2 in the laundry room--plus 4 recessed lights, Faye got a new light and Greta, too, 1 in the guest room and, lastly, one in the hall bathroom.) 16!!!
Out of curiosity, (science!) I called a local contractor to get an estimate on how much it would be to come and install a chandelier in our bedroom. This will definitely vary from area to area, but we live in a small town in Idaho, so this is probably a conservative savings estimate for other areas. He said it would be anywhere from $75-$165 depending on the size. If we needed the location moved, tack on another $50-$60, which takes the range from $75 for the smallest, most straight forward install, to $215 for an involved one. We have had a few involved installations, but to keep it simple, let's just average the numbers together to get $145 per installation x 16 fixtures= $2320 we have saved on just installing our own lights in the last 18 months. Wow!!
Over the years we've learned that DIY doesn't have to be about doing everything yourself, but doing the things you can is empowering. Chris happens to have experience with electrical work, so that's something we can do to save money time after time. Someone else might know plumbing, and anyone can paint. Do you DIY for the pride of it? For the money saving aspects? What DIY are you currently tackling to save a buck?
This post is sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance who've we partnered with over the next few months to share tips and tricks relating to your home. Here's an Instagram tip we shared last month, if you missed it.
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We are definitely novices in the DIY field but we are currently painting and it's saving us so much money!
I am the Queen of cheap. I love a good DIY, and seriously, if there is *any* possible way for me to do it myself -sometimes just to have the experience- I will.
***That said- If I goof up the paint I can repaint. If I goof up the plumbing, my house gets flooded and it's a huge mess, but it can be repaired with effort. If I goof up rewiring a chandelier or wall socket I can end up DEAD.
Electrical projects should get SERIOUS consideration before attempting.
My b-i-l is a professional journeyman wireman (read-> 5 years of focused electrical education) with over 25 years of experience when he just --opened a panel door-- and it exploded, he was air lifted to a burn center and was in a coma for quite some time as they slowly brought him back to life. It ended his career and changed his life from then on.
My husband is also a journeyman wireman with, now, over 40 years of experience, and knows/works with hundreds of professionals. He is invited to 5-6 funerals -every single year- for his fellow electricians - folks who also have five solid years of education and training and years of on the job experience, when something unexpected goes wrong and ends in death. Electricity is not to be taken lightly - ever.
**If** you decide to rewire or deal with electricity in any manner PLEASE understand ALL the precautions folks instruct you to take are there for a reason, take them! NO SHORT CUTS! Don't ever get complacent or think "I can do this without _______." There -are- many projects regular folks can accomplish, Please be careful no matter how small the job. Accidents happen to professionals that lead to serious injuries and or death, DO NOT take electrical projects on lightly.
The Husband and I try to DIY everything ourselves, originally started doing it to save money, but honestly - the satisfaction of having done something yourself (and it turning out great) is the best motivation! He usually does all the plumbing and electrical stuff, while I tackle the cosmetics (including tiling and painting). We only hire a pro for things we can't do ourselves, or know they can do way better.
I just tiled over my fireplace surround. I can't say it's a perfect job and it was challenging, as I have never tiled before. However, after I grouted it, I couldn't believe how good it looked. I had Home Depot cut some of the tile and then I rented a saw for 4 hours and did the rest myself. I really didn't want to tackle this project, but I could barely afford the materials. The $400 bid I received for the labor just was not in my budget. So..... generally I think DIY is great, with some reservations. Sometimes you have to factor in the cost of buying your own equipment for DIY. I have changed out some electrical outlets before, and I think I'd be able to change a bathroom light fixture, but more complicated electrical projects, I'll leave to the pros.
My next project is trying to install a new kitchen faucet. I know it's just not that difficult.
I DIY for the fun of it. I'm not very crafty or handy but I can follow directions to a T! Sometimes I just want to flex a little creative muscle and a quick and/or easy DIY project is just the answer.
I am, surprisingly, not a very crafty person either! But man, the pride that comes from DIYing anything other than a wreath, hahaha, keeps me going.