Can I Save Money by Painting My New Construction Home Myself?
Tags: homeowner tips
Building a new home is not cheap, but it is a worthwhile investment that can add significantly to your quality of life. When talking with potential homeowners we often get asked if there are portions of the home that they can DIY, either during construction or after, to help save money. With all of the designer shows and video tutorials out there, it seems to be a reasonable request. Sharp Homes in Wichita is happy to work with our owners on these opportunities, but after discussing the entire scope of a project it is often the homeowner’s decision to let our crews handle it.
Is DIY Painting a New Construction Home Worth It?
Of the DIY requests we get, the most asked about is painting. Nearly everyone has painted rooms or even the exterior of a home at some point. At first glance there is not a lot of skill involved and the supplies seem relatively cheap, even multiplied over an entire new home. Furthermore, when looking at our pricing break downs, it is not uncommon to see interior and exterior painting cost thousands of dollars, which further prods the homeowner to ask if they can do it themselves.
Labor-Intensive Prep Work
The trouble is that our painting crews do a lot more work in a home than just brushing or spraying some paint on the walls in a few hours and then calling it a day. They provide a multi-step process that can take several days or even a week on a larger home. The prep work includes sanding and rough spots on walls or trim work as well as caulking any gaps both inside and outside the home. These steps alone are extremely labor intensive but are critical in providing the high quality finish you would expect in a Sharp built home.
Staining and Varnishing
The painting process is then relatively straightforward, but they also take care of any staining and varnishing too. The final value added step is coming back a few days before the home closes and touching up any areas that may have been dinged, scraped, or scratched during the rest of the home building process, leaving the homeowner with a spotless, clean, and gorgeous new home.
Don’t Forget the Cost of Supplies
Professional tradespeople like painters use high-quality tools like brushes and sprayers for the smooth finish you expect. They also have the specialized equipment to paint high ceilings safely and efficiently. Additionally, a painting contractor gets paint and stain at a substantial discount compared to the price the average homeowner would pay. Paying for paint and supplies yourself would drastically cut into your potential DIY savings.
How Much is Your Time Worth?
You may have sticker shock at the cost of a line item like painting on your new home contract, but consider the value of your own time. Are you willing to give up multiple evenings and weekends to prime and paint your new construction home yourself? Do you have the availability to complete the job during the timeline needed to keep your build on schedule? Professional painters have the skill to paint your new home quickly, efficiently and with great quality.
Professionals Are Worth the Investment
Painting is just one example of many where there may be a perceived savings in a DIY approach to your new home construction, but once the entire scope of what our subcontractors and vendors actually do is realized, it becomes clear that the savings aren’t as large as originally figured.
At the very least it is usually worth the minimal investment of having a professional complete the task in a timely manner. This helps keep your new home construction on time and on-budget, and your project will be completed by a professional who will stand behind their work.
