03/06/2026
First, DIY is not always cheaper.
I canāt stand when people say, āThis is how I did it on a budget.ā And donāt get me wrongā¦itās helpful to see what materials cost. But most people are not factoring in their tools, their time, or the cost if they mess something up.
Tools add up fast. Your time has value. And one mistake can turn a ābudgetā project into a pretty expensive redo.
My advice: when you budget a DIY project, be honest about the real cost. Not just the materials.
Second, you will 100% underestimate the time it takes.
That project you think will take 8 hours will probably take 30ā40. There are hidden problems, learning new skills mid-project, multiple trips to the hardware storeā¦ and honestly, life just gets in the way.
Iām a full-time teacher and going through IVF. I do not have the same time as a lot of the people we watch online. And that can get discouraging if you start comparing yourself.
My advice: stop comparing your timeline to influencers. Your life and your schedule are different, and thatās okay.
Third, DIY can hurt your resale value if youāre planning to sell soon.
Sometimes you have to go the budget route, I get that. But inspectors notice bad finishing work, and they will point out every little imperfection to buyers.
DIY can look really good on camera, but in person you see a lot more mistakes. We already have a few things in our house we want to redo now that weāve learned more.
My advice: if youāre planning to sell soon, be really honest with yourself about which projects you should DIY and which ones might be worth hiring out.
DIY can be really rewarding, but itās definitely not always as cheap, fast, or perfect as the internet makes it seem.
Overall, sometimes DIY is worth it and sometimes you realize real quick why contractors charge what they do.
