Doing renovations is a great way to add value to a home before you put it on the market. Our REALTORS® can help you by making sure you know which renovations are most likely to result in a better sales price. With their in-depth knowledge of today’s top real estate trends, they will save you time and money every step of the way.
No matter if you are talking about Nassau County homes for sale or Suffolk County homes for sale, it can help to update and upgrade your home so you can entice the buyers you want. However, not all home renovations are equal. Some can be quite costly, while others are so challenging that you will definitely need a contractor.
Do It Yourself or Hire a Contractor for Home Renovations?
Once you have a clear idea of the kind of renovations you want to perform, the next step is to decide whether you will do it yourself. Doing it yourself means investing time and energy rather than money, and you may not get results that are up to professional standards—but when things go right, you can save a lot of money.
The question is, should you do it yourself? A recent U.S. Census Bureau survey suggested that homeowners could save an average of nearly $4,000 by going with DIY instead of professional renovation. However, that benefit comes with several caveats. Let’s take a look at the factors that should go into your decision:
- Is Your Proposed Renovation Safe?
First and foremost, it’s crucial to consider whether or not it’s actually safe to do a renovation yourself. In some cases, such as electrical work, there are multiple hazards. Not only could you could get hurt or start a fire, but you might lose homeowner’s insurance or face other consequences for unlicensed electrical work. - Do You Have the Skills for Your Renovation?
There are plenty of home renovations out there that are considered common DIY projects. But even so, not all of them are easy. For example, building your own wooden deck might be the most common large DIY project in America, but it still takes dozens of hours and requires plenty of special skills before you can get started. - Do You Have the Time for DIY Renovations?
If you have a specific timeline in mind for your home sale, you might find you simply can’t get the work done in time to meet your other goals. In cases like these, you might find that the time you save offsets the money you lose. For example, getting your sale done faster may mean less money spent on storage and other issues. - Are the Costs of DIY Renovation Really Worthwhile?
At first, it might seem obvious that DIY renovations will always save you money. But that’s really not always the case. Sometimes, it is actually cheaper to hire a contractor. In other cases, it is nearly the same price, so it all comes down to the value of your time after considering how much materials and equipment might cost you. - Will the Results of a DIY Home Renovation Be Satisfactory?
Remember, whatever you decide to do with your home renovation will eventually come under scrutiny, not just by the buyer but by a trained home inspector. Buyers can take issue with amateur renovations for a wide range of reasons and it is within their power to demand that things get changed or fixed before the sale is made final.
Contact us to find out more or get started.