We recently discussed some of the flooring options available when you remodel a room through Beattie Development. Sometimes, though, homeowners decide they can do a portion of their remodel on their own. This is a big mistake, especially if you think you can lay tile on your own. Yes, there are websites dedicated to the idea and countless HGTV shows that feature someone tearing up a floor and installing a new one. How hard could it be, right?
Wrong! Treating your house’s tile as a DIY project is a bad idea. Here are just a few of the reasons why:
#1 You won’t save nearly as much money as you are hoping. Right away, let’s break the myth that this is a good way to save money on a bathroom or kitchen remodel. Even if you do this completely on your own, you will still be spending nearly the same amount. That is because the labor is not the largest part of your bill when you hire a crew. By far, the largest portion of your budget goes to the actual tile itself, as well as the glues and tools necessary to do the job. When you combine this with the fact that many contractors get a better deal on the tile by buying in bulk and working often with the same flooring manufacturer, you may not be saving anything at all.
#2 it’s probably a lot harder than you may think. Beyond the fact that you may not end up saving any money by the end of it, this is very tiring work. It requires you to be meticulous, working for hours on your hands and knees and lifting heavy tiles. Most people also don’t realize that they have to pull off existing baseboards, lay the new flooring, then re-install baseboards which also entails caulking, regrouting, and painting. Is that something you can do? Even a simple bathroom or living room area of a couple hundred square feet can take several days to complete on your own. The existing floors need to be torn up or tiled, over which can unveil issues such as uneven tiles, grout lines that need to be covered up or chipped out, and more. Also, installing underlayment or a protective barrier is something a layman like yourself doesn’t generally think of in advance, but it’s important.
#3 It destroys the resale value of your home. Let’s face it, a DIY tile project is not going to look like a professional did it. You may not have a problem with extra glue spilling over the sides of a few tiles and the edges not being cut straight against the wall, but the next homeowner certainly will. When you are ready to sell your home again, you will most likely be very disappointed to see that the listing price of your house needs to reflect a floor that must be redone.
Your floor is too important to get wrong! You won’t end up saving any money, it will be back-breaking labor to do it, and then your home won’t sell for as much when it’s time to move again. Really, there is no reason to try to do this on your own! Focus your DIY urges on planting a new flower bed and painting an old dresser, and let the professional Remodeling Team at Beattie Development handle putting in your new tile floors. You will be so glad you did! To discuss this option, reach out to our Remodel Manager Kenneth at (239) 980-3801 or email Kenneth@beattiedev.com. After discussing your new flooring needs, he’ll provide you with a free estimate and you can move forward from there.