8 ms·

Serious question, what would be your hourly rate to do the work yourself?

by dymk 4y ago

linsomniac 4y ago
That's a really hard question to answer. I'm getting towards the end of a to-studs bathroom remodel, and it's taking an amazing amount of time, probably 300 hours. But, if I hired it all out it could easily have been $25K to be done to a similar standard. I'll have around $5K in materials in when I'm done. But I also know that if I hired it all out, there are a number of things I've done that wouldn't have been done, for example I ran 500 feet of 12-2 romex to replace current several current 12-2 aluminum runs, switched our bedrooms over to AFCI, ran several spare 12-2 runs for future renovation, removed a totally not to code wiring situation that was a fire waiting to happen... And on top of it, I gain experience and get to know my house inside out... But on the other hand, I haven't had a spare weekend for 6 months. So how do you value that on a per hour basis?
- dymk 4y ago
  I'm not sure either, I'm also in the middle of a fairly extensive remodel (first floor of the house basically down to studs, most flooring ripped out, changing kitchen layout). Some things seem within the scope of somebody like myself (who doesn't do this as a day job). For instance, I'm comfortable with removing and replacing toilets, I can do basic drywall work, I can texture and paint and do backsplash. But I don't think I could redo hardwood and tile flooring myself, install an exterior sliding door, nor make cabinet faces that I'd be happy with. For that, I'd pay whatever a contractor calls Market Rate^tm. I expect to not have any free weekends for at least the rest of the year. What would I pay for that? Maybe... $25-$30k?
  - earleybird 4y ago
    If it helps, I've done hardwood floors and tile but have a hard time with drywall and texturing. For the hardwood, I just needed someone who had done it before (my brother) to show me one time.
  - linsomniac 4y ago
    When I did my kitchen + dining room remodel a few years ago, I ended up bringing someone in to finish the oak I put in, and refinish the rest of the oak in the living room (they were connected). I don't think I could do it in the 2 days they did, and I'd be almost certainly making a bigger mess (they had a sander with vacuum, truck mounted IIRC). I've also paid someone to replace our doors and windows. Tile I didn't find so bad, with the exception that in the kitchen I did 8x48" tiles which I thought would make the job go faster, but they were a nightmare to set. The large format was just hard. The backsplash subway tile went super easy.
- gamblor956 4y ago
  Unless you're a licensed electrician, that electrical work you did yourself is in violation of building codes and you'll need to pay an electrician to approve the work or you'll have difficulty selling your house.
  - dymk 4y ago
    This is probably not true, and it's at least not true for any of the places I've lived on the west coast. As long as an inspector signs off on it (which they have to do regardless of if you do the work or if an electrician does it), and it's found to be up to code, it's fine.
  - wrycoder 4y ago
    In many areas of the US, it’s perfectly legal to do your own residential electrical work, so long as you get the permits and inspections.
    - gamblor956 4y ago
      I didn't say it was illegal, I said he would have difficulty selling his house due to the electrical work performed by someone who isn't a licensed electrician. It wouldn't have mattered in the seller's market of the past few years, but it will absolutely be a dealbreaker now that we're entering into a buyer's market.
      - wrycoder 4y ago
        This is not true. Permitted and inspected work is fine.
  - anotherman554 4y ago
    My state doesn't license electricians at all and leaves it up to local governments to decide whether they want to require any sort of local license to be an electrician. I've never done electrical work myself but I've hired electricians and as far as I can tell there is no licensing requirement in my local jurisdiction nor any sort of local license to be an electrician.
bergenty 4y ago
Probably between $50-60/hr. I’ve replaced PEX before and I found it pretty simple. Turn off the mains, cut the existing pipe and put the new piece in with some glue and couplers.
- sgerenser 4y ago
  I’ve never heard of a PEX installation method that used glue. Perhaps your thinking if CPVC?

Serious question, what would be your hourly rate to do the work yourself?

by dymk 4y ago

Serious question, what would be your hourly rate to do the work yourself?

That's a really hard question to answer. I'm getting towards the end of a to-studs bathroom remodel, and it's taking an amazing amount of time, probably 300 hours. But, if I hired it all out it could easily have been $25K to be done to a similar standard. I'll have around $5K in materials in when I'm done. But I also know that if I hired it all out, there are a number of things I've done that wouldn't have been done, for example I ran 500 feet of 12-2 romex to replace current several current 12-2 aluminum runs, switched our bedrooms over to AFCI, ran several spare 12-2 runs for future renovation, removed a totally not to code wiring situation that was a fire waiting to happen... And on top of it, I gain experience and get to know my house inside out... But on the other hand, I haven't had a spare weekend for 6 months. So how do you value that on a per hour basis?

dymk 4y ago
I'm not sure either, I'm also in the middle of a fairly extensive remodel (first floor of the house basically down to studs, most flooring ripped out, changing kitchen layout). Some things seem within the scope of somebody like myself (who doesn't do this as a day job). For instance, I'm comfortable with removing and replacing toilets, I can do basic drywall work, I can texture and paint and do backsplash. But I don't think I could redo hardwood and tile flooring myself, install an exterior sliding door, nor make cabinet faces that I'd be happy with. For that, I'd pay whatever a contractor calls Market Rate^tm. I expect to not have any free weekends for at least the rest of the year. What would I pay for that? Maybe... $25-$30k?
- earleybird 4y ago
  If it helps, I've done hardwood floors and tile but have a hard time with drywall and texturing. For the hardwood, I just needed someone who had done it before (my brother) to show me one time.
- linsomniac 4y ago
  When I did my kitchen + dining room remodel a few years ago, I ended up bringing someone in to finish the oak I put in, and refinish the rest of the oak in the living room (they were connected). I don't think I could do it in the 2 days they did, and I'd be almost certainly making a bigger mess (they had a sander with vacuum, truck mounted IIRC). I've also paid someone to replace our doors and windows. Tile I didn't find so bad, with the exception that in the kitchen I did 8x48" tiles which I thought would make the job go faster, but they were a nightmare to set. The large format was just hard. The backsplash subway tile went super easy.
gamblor956 4y ago
Unless you're a licensed electrician, that electrical work you did yourself is in violation of building codes and you'll need to pay an electrician to approve the work or you'll have difficulty selling your house.
- dymk 4y ago
  This is probably not true, and it's at least not true for any of the places I've lived on the west coast. As long as an inspector signs off on it (which they have to do regardless of if you do the work or if an electrician does it), and it's found to be up to code, it's fine.
- wrycoder 4y ago
  In many areas of the US, it’s perfectly legal to do your own residential electrical work, so long as you get the permits and inspections.
  - gamblor956 4y ago
    I didn't say it was illegal, I said he would have difficulty selling his house due to the electrical work performed by someone who isn't a licensed electrician. It wouldn't have mattered in the seller's market of the past few years, but it will absolutely be a dealbreaker now that we're entering into a buyer's market.
    - wrycoder 4y ago
      This is not true. Permitted and inspected work is fine.
- anotherman554 4y ago
  My state doesn't license electricians at all and leaves it up to local governments to decide whether they want to require any sort of local license to be an electrician. I've never done electrical work myself but I've hired electricians and as far as I can tell there is no licensing requirement in my local jurisdiction nor any sort of local license to be an electrician.

bergenty 4y ago

Probably between $50-60/hr. I’ve replaced PEX before and I found it pretty simple. Turn off the mains, cut the existing pipe and put the new piece in with some glue and couplers.

sgerenser 4y ago
I’ve never heard of a PEX installation method that used glue. Perhaps your thinking if CPVC?