The average homeowner spends about 1% to 4% of their home’s price on maintenance every year. That could easily mean thousands of dollars.
To try and reduce some of that burn, many have turned to DIY repairs when things go awry in their households. This is particularly true when it comes to ceiling damage.
If your ceiling has developed a hole because of ware and tare, unintentional impact, or via any other adversity, you’re likely contemplating whether or not you should go the DIY route or phone a pro.
Keep reading to gain clarity on that question.
Consider Your Odds of Exacerbating Damage
A small hole in a flat ceiling can be patched quickly with joint tape and putty. Larger holes in a vaulted ceiling may require you to cut into your ceiling, mitigate damage in insulation, screw in drywall, and more.
If you’re not seasoned when it comes to general contractor work, you may want to avoid big jobs like cutting into your ceiling as doing so can turn small problems into much larger structural issues, that can significantly raise the cost of hiring help.
What’s Your Time Worth?
Even if you feel you could tackle the ceiling job you’re facing, ask yourself, how much is your time worth? Handling medium-grade ceiling repair means heading over to the hardware store on a weekend and spending a few hours climbing up and down a ladder.
When you factor in the opportunity cost of those actions, does it make more sense to pick up the phone and get someone else to manage your ceiling repairs?
We always recommend that people think about the bigger picture before tackling DIY projects, as several turn out sub-par and cost homeowners what could have been an otherwise relaxing Saturday or Sunday.
Is Experience One of Your Goals?
For some, getting contractor experience under their belt is well worth the time and risk DIY repairs present. The idea here is that by trying your hand at fixing things around your home, eventually, you’ll be able to ween off of hiring contractors and can deliver professional quality results when addressing your house’s needs.
Is being an experienced handyman a goal you’re working towards? If it is, go ahead and try combining your skills with a few YouTube tutorials to see what happens.
Worst case scenario is you’ll need to call for help if you get in over your head.
Ceiling Repair Is a Medium Grade DIY Venture You Should Handle With Care
When we think of various types of DIY projects, ceiling repair tends to fall in the medium difficulty range and consequently, should be managed with care by inexperienced homeowners.
Should you try DIY fixes on your ceiling? Only you know for sure.
Consider our tips, your tolerance for risk, and go from there.
If you need additional guidance on drywall ceiling repair, how to repair ceiling cracks, or anything related to real estate, check out more of the newest content on our blog.
