Transforming your home with a few brush strokes can breathe new life into tired walls and turn them into stunning focal points within your home. However, the decision of whether to tackle the painting project yourself or hire professionals requires careful consideration. In this article, we discuss the pros and cons of hiring professional painters versus doing it yourself (DIY).
Pros of Hiring a Painter
Expertise – Professional painters have the expertise to handle different kinds of paints and finishes.
- Prepping the walls – If you have nicks or cracks in your walls that need filling or a mold problem that needs to be addressed, it’s best to leave painting the walls to the experts.
- Quality paints – Professional painters have access to premium quality paints and are experienced in using the same.
- Time and labor – A labor-intensive painting project needs time and expertise. Professional painters have the know-how and the right equipment for even the most hard-to-reach places, thereby finishing the project quicker than what you may be able to do on your own.
Cons of Hiring a Painter
- Pay for the service – Professional painters will charge you for their labor and skills. However, it’s important to weigh the costs against the expertise, time savings, and quality assurance that professionals provide.
- Limited privacy – Having someone else paint your home, you may have limited privacy, albeit only for a short while until the job is done.
- Sharing control – When you get professionals involved in your home makeover, you will share some control over the painting process with them.
Pros of DIY
- Free labor – Save on paying for hired labor by completing the project yourself.
- Gain experience – A DIY project can be rewarding if you have the necessary skills and patience to handle it.
- Work when you want – You can decide how much to paint at one time. Although, it is better to complete the project within a shorter timeframe to avoid several days of disruption to your routine.
- Full control – You can work on your own terms. This means you can stop midway if you want to change the color or redo the entire project if you decide you don’t like what you see.
Cons of DIY
- Complex projects – When faced with complex or large-scale painting projects, it’s advisable to assess your expertise, available equipment, and safety precautions before starting the project. Contact professionals if you don’t have the relevant experience to do it.
- Difficult paints – Lacquered and high-gloss paints are difficult to apply and unforgiving to flaws if the walls haven’t been prepped correctly. These are best suited for professional painters to apply.
- Additional costs – Apart from the paint box, you may need to buy additional tools and safety equipment like paint brushes, mask, protective eye gear, gloves, masking tape, step ladder, putty, and drop cloth, among other things required to prepare and then paint your walls.
- Time-consuming – Depending on the scope of your project as well as your skills, you may end up spending a lot more time completing the painting job than what you originally planned.
To DIY or Hire a Pro
Deciding how to go about residential painting depends on the complexity of the project, your skill level, your budget, and the time you are willing to put in. Though DIY projects seem cost-effective, they can quickly turn into expensive and time consuming jobs if not done correctly. Prioritize your objectives and plan accordingly to achieve your final goal – your beautifully painted home!
Hire the services of Mastercraft Painting and Finishes to renovate or repair your Philadelphia home. Call us at 267-496-5307 or contact us online to discuss your home’s painting and refinishing needs and get a FREE estimate.