Is It Cheaper To Hire a Painter or Do-It-Yourself?

Hire a professional or not? Here’s everything to consider before making the decision.

Home painting sometimes feels like a straightforward job that would not need a professional painter. Painting might not seem as extensive or difficult as working with the foundation of your home. Sure, it seems easy, but you should not consider skipping it just yet.

Painting your house yourself will definitely turn out cheaper since you can save on money to hire a professional. However, you certainly have to consider your ability to do the job well, access to high areas, tools and also how high of a value you place on your property (in case you are planning to sell). If you find that the project is simple enough and does not require professional help then it is possible to save some money. However, when you consider buying all the painting supplies needed (brushes, rollers, primer, dishes, repairing tools and equipment, plastic sheeting and covers), those prices add up quickly. And before you know it, you can amount close to what you would otherwise spend on hiring a painting contractor.

An accent wall: do-it-yourself

The whole house: hire a painter

Are you looking for a quick wall refresh or painting the entire house, including the outside? If you want to paint the entire house, you also need to consider that it is quite a task and with no experience, it could take weeks to finish. In this case, it might be worthwhile to hire a professional for the sake of your sanity. But if it is just an accent wall, you can get the job done yourself easily.

Smooth walls, no signs of dampness: do-it-yourself

Walls in need of repair: hire a painter

If your walls need some repair and prep work, including waterproofing before the painting, it is best to leave the job to professionals. Where walls require a lot of scrapping and sanding, the same-size project can take twice as much time. Not to forget, it does require you to buy expensive supplies to fix and repair walls. But if the walls are smooth and show no signs of dampness or leakages, you can easily manage painting it yourself.

Similar colour: do-it-yourself

Stark colour change: hire a painter

Repainting with a similar colour rarely requires more than a primer and one coat. However, dramatically changing the colour, especially from a darker shade to a lighter one, requires more coats of primer and paint, doubling the work and best left in the hands of professionals.

One floor: do-it-yourself

Two or several floors: hire a painter

A one-floor house will be fairly easy to paint, given that you do not need tall ladders for hard to reach areas. But if you are looking to paint the outside of a two-floor house, a professional painter is far more equipped to do the job. They will have the right gear, equipment and ladder to get the job done. This also involves possibility of accidents and falls, so it is best to invest in a professional instead of putting yourself at risk.