Unless you have experience as a remodeling contractor or have worked in the kitchen industry, you may want to think twice before undertaking an entire kitchen remodel on your own. Even the handiest homeowners will probably need some help if they do decide to DIY their own kitchen. Some jobs like removing old appliances, cabinets, and flooring may be fine to do yourself, but when it comes to the installation of electric, plumbing, new cabinetry, counters, tile, HVAC, and making sure everything is up to code, homeowners are often better off leaving it to the professionals.
Costs
Many homeowners lean in the DIY direction because they believe it will save them a lot of money. While on some occasions this might be true if the homeowners themselves are experienced tradespeople, however for the average homeowner this is not usually the case. Even for as many YouTube videos and DIY articles that are out there, doing it yourself leaves a huge margin for error if you are not schooled in the various remodeling trades. This means in the long run you will likely end up paying a professional to fix your mistakes, which can cost you even more than the initial project you budgeted. Additionally, when you work with a professional contractor, you may also benefit from the deals and special pricing they have with their suppliers and since they often buy materials in bulk, they can pass on the savings to you. Finally, if you do complete a DIY kitchen remodel, any poor construction or installation mistakes could make your kitchen less valuable in the long run, driving down the cost of your home when it’s time to sell, and taking even more money out of your pocket. At the very least, poor workmanship and errors with electrical or plumbing could impact you getting a CO at the time of sale.
Damage
Not only can a DIY kitchen remodel leave room for mistakes that will have to be fixed by a professional later, you may create additional damage to your kitchen or to other parts of your home that will be expensive to resolve. Damage can be caused by incorrect installation or doing tasks out of order.
Time
If you are not intimidated by the labor and skill required to properly remodel a kitchen, you may want to avoid a DIY project simply because of the time required. An experienced team can remodel a kitchen in an efficient amount of time with an estimated completion date, ensuring you have to spend less time with an out-of-commission kitchen. If you DIY, the project will most probably take longer, eating away at your free time and making your kitchen unusable for far longer than necessary.
Order of Installation
Electric, plumbing, flooring, tile, countertops, and cabinetry are all aspects of a kitchen remodel that need to be installed in the correct order to avoid any problems after the fact.
Conclusion
Simply put, a DIY kitchen remodel can be accomplished in a reasonable time, for a reasonable budget with a good outcome. However, more often than not, a DIY kitchen remodel can easily end in frustration and disappointment. Between installation mistakes, high costs down the line, and the amount of time involved, there are so many things that could go wrong between the design stage and the final result when you don’t use a professional contractor.
When you are ready to remodel your kitchen, why not hire an expert like the ones at U S Kitchens and Baths? From the initial design through flawless installation, we will help you achieve your dream kitchen. Reach out to U S Kitchens and Baths at 973-386-5500 to start the conversation and make your dream kitchen a reality. Or visit us at us-kitchens.com/.
