Question: Are there any projects you regret DIY-ing? I’m in the middle of one that isn’t going smoothly and I’m second-guessing my decision not to hire it out. – Holly
Answer: We get this question a lot. Looking back, it’s hard to name a completed project where we said, “I wish we had hired someone.” There’s a strange mix of pride, relief, and savings that follows finishing a DIY job. Still, there have been plenty of projects that triggered a major “what were we thinking?” moment while we were in the thick of them. I’ve even shed a few tears over some—okay, maybe two.
Below I’ll walk through four projects that pushed us to the limit and share the lessons we learned from each. The takeaway isn’t to stop DIY altogether, but to DIY smarter: plan better, expect surprises, and be willing to call in help when it makes sense.
#1: The Bathroom Demo. Early on, while still working a 9-to-5, I devoted a single Saturday to demolishing the tile in our first home’s only full bathroom. I wildly underestimated the time, physical effort, and mess involved. Older homes hide mortar and metal lath behind tiles, and prying that out is exhausting. The experience left me utterly spent—and taught me a crucial lesson.
Lesson Learned: Demolition can be as difficult as installation. Now we plan explicitly for demo work, factor it into timelines, and rent appropriate tools like demolition hammers to save time and bodies. Sometimes it even makes sense to hire out just the demo phase so we can move to the more enjoyable parts of a project without destroying our backs.
#2: The Patio. We had contractors install a patio at our first house in a day, so when we tackled a similar job at our next place we assumed it wouldn’t be too hard. We ordered three tons of gravel and, despite delivery to the site, failed to account for the manual effort of moving and spreading it. What should have been straightforward became an exhausting, back-breaking job.
Lesson Learned: Material handling is often the hardest, least glamorous part of outdoor projects. Where possible, arrange for materials to be delivered close to where you need them, recruit extra hands, or pay a crew to move heavy loads. Saving a few dollars on labor can cost you in time, fatigue, and risk of injury.
#3: The Deck. The deck was probably the most anxiety-inducing project we’ve done. It involved heavy labor, many unknowns, structural requirements and inspections, and intense summer heat. There were moments when we seriously considered hiring professionals. Despite the stress, finishing the deck brought huge pride and a big boost in confidence—though it also produced at least one injury-induced crying episode.
- Lots of manual labor and lifting
- Unfamiliar construction challenges
- Structural responsibility and inspections
- Hot weather and long days
Lesson Learned: The single best thing we did was remove rigid time pressure. Without a strict deadline, setbacks felt manageable. If you can, build cushion into your schedule and your budget. That flexibility turns panic-worthy moments into solvable problems and often allows you to complete ambitious work yourself with less stress.
#4: The Hardwood Floors. This project made the list because we ignored the deck’s lesson about not rushing. A surprise early sale created a tight schedule for removing carpet, painting trim, and installing hardwoods. Even with help for childcare and planned demo time, we ended up racing the clock, working long, tiring days and nights to meet the closing date.
Lesson Learned: Even careful plans can blow up. Expect at least one or two derailments on any major project and decide in advance how you’ll handle them—by extending the timeline, loosening the budget, or hiring help. We saved money and gained skills by installing the floors ourselves, but the emotional and physical cost was high during that crunch. Sometimes saving money isn’t worth the burnout it causes.
Over time our DIY judgment has improved. We still take on many projects ourselves because of the cost savings and the pride and skills we gain, but we’re also more willing to call a pro for work that’s beyond our comfort zone—plumbing issues, major electrical upgrades, load-bearing structural work, or tasks that are simply too taxing. There’s no shame in handing tough jobs to experts. Often doing the prep work first still saves money, and it’s satisfying to watch someone else solve a problem while you reserve your energy for the next project.
PS: When deciding whether to DIY or hire, consider time, budget flexibility, skill level, and the potential risks involved. A realistic assessment up front will save frustration later.