Sooner or later, all homeowners have to contend with an inconvenient reality… namely, that their home desperately needs a fresh coat of paint. Maybe you’ve just moved into a new home and want to give the place your own chosen color palette. Or maybe you’ve been in your home for some time and you’re planning to sell your house and want to make it look as fresh and as new as can be. Either way, you’ll face a crucial choice: Should you paint the house yourself, or hire a crew of professionals?
There are pros and cons to both approaches, and it may ultimately boil down to several factors, such as the scope of the project and the amount of time at your disposal. As you try to make a wise decision, take a moment to review our list of pros and cons.
And remember, if you’re painting because you plan to sell, you should also claim your free seller’s report from SOLD.com, which will outline some individualized advice for getting the place listed and sold.
Pros of Painting Your Own House
Let’s start with some of the primary advantages you can expect when you paint your own property, in no particular order.
- Cheaper cost
The most obvious advantage is that you won’t have to pay for labor. That’s not to say that a DIY paint job is free, as you’ll obviously need to buy paint and supplies. But often, it can save you a decent chunk of change when you do the work yourself.
- Pick the Shading and Style
A DIY paint job often gives you greater control over the final outcome. Some homeowners worry that their contractor won’t be able to get just the shading or style that they have in mind, although this shouldn’t be a worry if you take the time to choose the right contractor. When you do it yourself, though, you can truly do everything your way.
- Flexibility with Time
Another potential advantage to painting your own home is that it allows you a bit of flexibility; you have the option to go room by room, as you have time and as you have the budget. If you’re not in a rush to get the whole house painted and are okay to break the project into small steps, the DIY approach may work out well.
- You Can Get Creative
Painting yourself can offer you the creativity you desire. Keep in mind that painting can be a big project, but when measuring out the room with painting tape, you can get ready to paint your house as a canvas. Picking out paint colors can be fun too. Consider researching the styles that are popular in your area to help you stay up to par with other houses on the market. So watch the style trends, get creative, and get painting.
Cons of Painting Your Own House
There are also a few noteworthy drawbacks to the DIY path.
- Hard to Get High Level Quality
The biggest con is that you may not get the high level of quality you’d like. Painting isn’t as simple as it looks, and it’s easy for amateurs to make simple mistakes that compromise the finished product. This can, in turn, jeopardize your cost savings, as you may need to buy more paint to do additional coats, fixing earlier errors.
- Time
Time is the other major con. Painting yourself can be incredibly slow and tedious work, and sometimes you simply may not have time to do it yourself. For example, if you want to get your home sold, you may not have a lot of time to spare, making it necessary to hire a team of pros.
- Hard to Find the Paint You Want
A professional painting service can often offer invaluable advice about the kind of paint you choose, something you sacrifice when you go it alone.
- Easy to Make a Mess
Also note that professional painters will be fastidious in keeping your entire home clean and uncluttered. When you do the job yourself, it’s all too easy to spill paint or do something else that damages the house. It can take time to tape all the floorboards, door frames, and other surfaces with painter’s tape, as well as put down towels and tarps before you paint. However, these things will make all the difference in presenting the splashing of paint on surfaces you want left untouched by new paint.
- The Bottom Line
The bottom line? There’s certainly nothing wrong with trying a DIY paint job, and sometimes that’s the prudent approach. Just be aware that it may be a drain on your time, and it may not be as simple as you expect; in the end, you may wind up wishing you’d just hired someone in the first place.
Learn the Best Way to Sell a House
As you think about selling your house, note that a fresh coat of paint can often make a huge difference.
There are a number of other steps you can take to achieve your real estate goals, as well. Claim your SOLD.com report today and get an individualized recommendation for the best way to sell a house. Your report is available for you right now
