Remodeling Myths: Self Demolition Saves Money
November 7, 2007 · Print This Article
There are two ways that doing your own demolition goes down:
1. It goes great – Everything goes well, nothing gets broken that shouldn’t be, and no one gets hurt. This is the best case scenario when you are playing demolition man.
2. It goes brutally – Someone gets hurt, something gets broken, and generally mistakes are made. The long-term implications of your actions aren’t completely clear, though it was pretty obvious when your kitchen cabinets fell from the roof because the bracing had been tampered with (read: severed by an errant jigsaw).
As you can see, demolition obviously isn’t as easy as swinging a sledge hammer and hoping that you hit a wall. It’s about careful planning, flawless execution, and attention to detail. It’s also about getting the job done without getting hurt.
Having Them Do It vs. You Doing It
Many people opt to do their own demolition because they think that it saves them money. In some cases this may very well be true, but in actuality it simply is not the case. Unless you are a contractor you should let the contractor do the demolition, as there are many variables involved that most people wouldn’t even both to consider. Some contractors will even refuse to allow you to do your own demolition, while others won’t car at all.
* You’re doing it – So long as you are aware of the implications and costs associated with doing it yourself, great! There’s no better way to feel accomplished and satisfied with yourself than by taking part in something big, and remodeling your kitchen certainly falls into that category.
Make sure to allot yourself plenty of time to get in done correctly, and also make sure that you know where to start and where to finish. Homeowners tend to break more than they needed to, and when it comes time for clean up they realize the mistakes that they’ve made. This also brings to light my next point: cleanup is a royal pain in the behind.
Be sure to go through after and pick up any errant nails, staples, pieces of debris, etc. as you probably won’t be a very happy camper if you put a nail through your foot.
* They’re doing it – Allowing the contactor to do the clean up is probably the biggest benefit associated with having the contractor do the demolition for you. Of course, any problems or mistakes that come up are also on their dime, not yours.
I don’t know about you, but it’s definitely worth the extra few hundred dollars to not have to worry about the hassle or labor of doing it yourself.
And, failing anything else, it’s just one less hassle you have to worry about.
Doing It Yourself Does Not Save Money
You may be a do-it-yourselfer, and to be honest that’s an excellent trait to have. However, you are not saving money by doing your own demolition. You are using your time, your resources, and your physical labor to do it.
More importantly, however, is liability. Something almost always gets broken, damaged, or taken a bit too far during the demolition process. If (and when) that happens wouldn’t you rather the contractor have to worry about fixing or replacing whatever was broken?
Is there an easy way to buy foreign made cabinets? I find websites but no way to place and order say for a kitchen, Master bath and guest bath. I can’t buy a container full. I can assemble and install,
Bruce,
You can definitely buy foreign made cabinets unassembled. For example, our company sells unassembled kitchen cabinets at a discount.
Where are you located? There might be some independent cabinet places where you live. If you’re in the Bay Area, shoot me an email and I’ll see how I can help.
Best wishes,
Lionel
We are having a very small kitchen with little existing storage space re-done to be more functional. We have chosen a creamy distressed look cabinet, travertine floor in beige tones, and giallo veneziano granite, stainless appliances and sink. Everything seems to blend together nicely. The backsplash is difficult to describe: it’s a blend of bronze and silver which pull out these shades in the granite beautifully. It’s darker than I would have chosen, but when suggested by the tile person, it really looks elegant. Now, I have no idea what wall color to use. The other rooms in the house are gold and dark green. The other color in my “scheme” is a dark red, almost burgundy. Again, this is a small kitchen without a lot of natural light - only 1 window and a set of french doors. Thank you!
Dear Pia,
The most important thing is to narrow down your choices for the wall color. I’d recommend staying from overly bright colors if your family tends to eat in the kitchen/dining room area, because it’s an assault on the senses.
Many of my customers like colors that complement the flooring, so I’d recommend starting with your floor color, and moving toward darker shades to find a balance between your floor and countertops.
Best wishes,
Lionel Young