A home reno is an important and expensive project, and you might be asking whether you should hire a project manager or plan and organize it yourself.
Taking either option when you’re renovating a house brings upsides and downsides that are essential to consider to select the best way for you to get great results. These pros and cons, along with factors such as how much time you have available, the budget for the project, your previous reno experience, and how closely you prefer to work with contractors, will likely all weigh into the decision.
To guide you through the benefits and downsides of hiring a pro vs DIYing, we asked seasoned experts for their opinions, and this is their advice.
Hiring a project manager vs managing a home reno yourself
Getting the right pros in place is essential to any project. There are questions to ask your contractor so you can be sure to have the right person, and finding the perfect architect can also be crucial for the work.
But should you add a project manager in, too? These are the pros and cons of hiring the latter, and those of doing the planning and organizing yourself.
Pros of hiring a project manager
Keeps project on budget
While it is true that a project manager introduces an extra cost (see below), they can prevent overspending in home renovation, according to interior designer Jodi Peterman, owner of Elizabeth Erin Designs.
‘Their professional oversight can significantly reduce the likelihood of a project exceeding its renovation budget and failing to meet the homeowner’s vision – issues that affect 80 percent of all renovation projects,’ she says.
Schedule discipline
A project manager can also mean the reno doesn’t overrun, says Jodi. ‘By coordinating various trades and suppliers, project managers keep the project on track and handle any issues that arise promptly, allowing homeowners to focus on their daily lives,’ she explains. ‘This not only provides peace of mind but also increases the likelihood of a successful, satisfying renovation outcome.’
Less stress
A pro who deals with everything can make a home reno a better experience, according to an associate real estate broker at Sotheby’s International Realty Angelica Ferguson VonDrak. ‘Having a project manager can really help reduce the stress of a renovation by providing a single point of contact for all aspects of the project,’ she explains.
Quality control
Hiring a project manager is also a benefit because of their knowledge, says Yaeir Moinzadeh, an MHIC licensed contractor and the owner of Blue Rise Baltimore Roofing.
‘It ensures that the work being done is compliant with industry standards as well as your own expectations,’ he explains. ‘Project managers identify and solve problems quickly and in this way, they can prevent costly mistakes.’
Cons of hiring a project manager
Adds to the budget
If you want to save on home renovation, another pro means extra expenditure, notes Jodi Peterman. ‘Hiring a project manager for a home renovation comes with additional costs, as their fees add a layer of expense to the overall budget,’ she says.
‘This can be a significant consideration, especially for smaller projects or homeowners working with tight financial constraints.’ Bear in mind that this is particularly crucial if yours is one of the three most expensive home renovation projects you can undertake.
It’s doubling up
Hiring a project manager is going to hinder rather than help a homeowner, says Josh Rudin, owner at ASAP Restoration. ‘When you hire a general contractor to do a larger job in your home, you are already hiring a construction manager, general manager, project manager, project coordinator, superintendent, and likely a foreman, too,’ he says. ‘This is also the chain of command that almost all construction, remodeling, and restoration companies work with.
‘Third-party project managers might make sense if the work is extremely extensive such as building an entire apartment complex, or a shopping center, but for smaller projects like home building or restorations, they tend to get in the way of progress.’
Reduced control
Hiring a project manager can leave you less involved, says Jodi. ‘Entrusting a project manager with the renovation may result in less direct control over daily decisions and details, which some homeowners might find unsettling.’
Personal relations
You’ll need to pause on starting work to find someone you can work with well. ‘It's important to find the right fit, but it can take time and a lot of research,’ says Kerry Sherin, consumer advocate at Ownerly. ‘Homeowners can feel distant if they rely too much on the project manager, but it's important to keep the lines of communication open and know how the project is going.’
Pros of project managing yourself
Cost savings
As we’ve already noted, a project manager has to be paid for, so DIYing – as well as avoiding home renovation mistakes – saves. Yaeir Moinzadeh gives an example: ‘You can save 10 to 20 percent on your overall budget if you manage your project yourself, which is $10,000 to $20,000 in case of $100,000 renovation.’
More money for materials
Pure cost saving is one advantage, as we’ve noted, but project managing yourself might mean you can allocate the budget you do have more effectively. ‘If you are more of a hands-on type, managing the project yourself can save you money on fees, allowing you to allocate more funds directly to materials and labor,’ explains Angelica Ferguson VonDrak. That could mean more luxurious finishes which you can enjoy for years to come, and the labor of contractors who can make them look their best.
Decisions are yours
Planning and organizing yourself will leave the reno in your hands. ‘Each part of a refurbishing process is at your command,’ says Yaeir.
Better contractor relationships
DIY project managing means you can establish good working relationships with individuals. ‘You will take more control over all aspects of your renovation because you’ll have more involvement with the different contractors,’ says Kerry Sherin.
Cons of project managing yourself
Time-consuming
Being your own project manager can eat up the hours – that you might not have, according to Angelica Ferguson VonDrak. ‘Taking on the project management role can be incredibly time-consuming and overwhelming, especially if you have other commitments,’ she says.
Complex
The reason DIY project managing is so time-consuming? ‘Keep in mind that DIY planning entails detailed research, organization, and preparation in order to ensure everything goes according to plan,’ says Kerry Sherin.
Hard for first-time renovators
Angelica also suggests that project managing might not be the best course of action for the inexperienced. ‘You might miss critical details or face coordination challenges that can delay the project and affect quality,’ she says. ‘I don’t recommend trying to manage everything yourself if this is your first renovation. You'll likely end up making expensive mistakes that will add time and cost to the project.’
Pros have more experience
Even if you aren’t a first-time renovator, a professional project manager has more experience. ‘The size of the project is key,’ says Pete Evering from Utopia Management. ‘I think there is a critical point when the scale of the project demands the presence of someone to oversee it aside from the owner. Renovating a kitchen or bathroom may seem like a minor project in the grand scheme of things, but it can escalate very quickly if there are unexpected problems. A project manager comes in handy to make sure the crew stays on top of the situation whenever things like this happen.’
Home renovation is a major investment, but you can get the most from what you spend by choosing the most affordable home renovation projects. Be sure to set aside a sufficient budget for each room and keep your home healthy in the process by knowing the ways to keep indoor air clean during a renovation.
