Your wife wants to hire a contractor, and you answer with the sentence that has launched countless weekend projects: “I can do it.” Maybe you actually can. The more useful question is whether you can do it for less after counting everything that comes with the job.
A contractor’s estimate covers more than the materials sitting in a truck. Your DIY price should cover more than the receipt from the hardware store, too. Time, tools, wasted materials, cleanup, permits, mistakes, and unfinished work can quietly turn a supposedly cheap project into an expensive hobby.
