Are you curious what the average homeowner pays for services in Washington, DC Metro Area ?

For the first article ever posted on my website I want to share with you the average cost for certain renovation projects in Washington, DC and the Metro Area. Those prices are the latest update from Homeadvisor.com. The data is for Washington, DC Metro Area and there might be slight difference if you’re in VA or MD.
It’s always good to know what type of expense you’re facing when you are planning a home improvement project. Is it wise to do it yourself or hire a professional? Where to get materials? Can I save money? – There are so many questions you need to find the answer to before you make the right choice. With the most important  – What is it going to cost me if I hire a professional?

First thing you have to ask yourself is – “Is it worth my time?”

I would like to believe that we can do everything else if we invest enough the time and efforts in it. If the project you’re planning is not a major renovation, but rather something smaller. Something that makes sense and you think you can do it – just grab your tools and get busy!

Replacing a faucet, changing the garbage disposal and painting is a good example of a simple enough job which in my opinion every homeowner can do in couple of hours. This can save some money and be kinda fun.

Not so easy…

Remodeling a bathroom or a kitchen, or laying tile or hardwood floor is not an easy job. If you don’t have a prior experience and you have never done it, regardless of how handy you think you are, you should know that those jobs can be challenging and can turn into 6 month project or stretch even longer for someone with not enough experience. I have seen few homeowner bathroom renovations and also hardwood floors and tile installations gone bad. With tons of mistakes, big gaps and broken lines it just doesn’t look pretty. One of the bathroom renovations as far as I can recall took the guy over a year to complete – with a lot of mistakes on the tile installation, flooring and shower base. If you have never done it, think twice!

Should I hire a professional?

The answer is simple: If the job is too big for you to handle you will know it. If you have the slightest doubt – talk to a professional about it and get some advice. Everyone has a contractor friend around or knows somebody who knows someone. If you have no one, please send us your questions and we will gladly help! 🙂

If you have never done this before – browse some YouTube videos on the work you’re planning. There is a big chance someone else has already done it and recorded a video. Once you visualize what you have to go through, you will get better understanding of what is involved and how hard or easy it actually is. Some projects are simple, others are not. Figure things out!

Regardless, if you decide to do it yourself or if you hire a contractor – Plan the work! Planning is the key to a successful and less stressful project. Feel free to share your questions, thoughts and opinions.