← 🏠 Homeowners and DIYers toolkit
DIY vs Hire Calculator
Is it really cheaper to do it yourself? Count your time and your mistakes.
Part of the 🏠 Homeowners and DIYers toolkit, with more tools made for the job.
Labour and materials together.
Leave empty for none.
Be honest. First-timers are usually slower.
Leave empty or put 0 if you would do it for free.
A share of the materials. Leave empty for 10%.
Type the quote, your materials and the hours, and which way is cheaper appears here.
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Type the quote you were given, what the materials would cost you, the tools you would need and the hours you expect. This shows which is cheaper and by how much.
The honest comparison is not materials against a quote. A professional has the tools, the speed and the know-how, and you pay for the mistakes and the weekends. So the fair sum adds the materials, the tools you would buy or hire, an allowance for mistakes and re-buying, and a value for your time, even if it is a modest one. If DIY still wins, you have a real saving. If it only wins when your time is worth nothing, you are choosing it for the experience, which is fine too.
How it’s worked out
- Mistakes are a percentage of the materials. If you leave it empty, 10 percent is used.
- The value of your time is the hours times what an hour is worth to you, which can be zero.
- Doing it yourself costs the materials plus the tools, the mistakes and the value of your time.
- The saving is the quote minus that. The break-even hourly figure is the most your time can be worth for DIY to still win.
A 3,000 quote against 1,200 of materials, 150 of tools, 10 percent for mistakes and 60 hours at 15 an hour. DIY costs about 2,370, a saving of 630, and it stays cheaper while an hour of your time is worth less than about 25.50.
Common mistakes
- Valuing your time at nothing. It makes DIY look cheaper than it is, and you will notice the hours when you are tired.
- Underestimating the hours. First-timers are usually slower than a professional by a large factor.
- Forgetting the tools. Buying a tile cutter or hiring a mixer can eat most of the saving on a small job.
- Treating every job the same. Gas, electrics and structural work should be done by a qualified person whatever the price.
Questions
What should I put for my hourly value?
What you would earn, or what it would cost you to give up the time, or zero if you would do it for fun. Try a few values and see where the answer flips.
What is the allowance for mistakes?
A share of the materials for things that go wrong: wrong cuts, spilled paint, re-buying. The box uses 10 percent if left empty. First-timers sometimes need more.
Does it include the cost of redoing a bad job?
Only through the allowance. A poor job can cost more to put right, so be honest about what you can do well.
What is the break-even figure?
The highest hourly value of your time at which DIY still costs less than the quote. Above it, hiring is cheaper.
Estimates only
These are estimates and general information, not building, safety, legal or professional advice. Materials, coverage, waste and rules vary by product, project and place, so check the maker's instructions and your local rules, and use a qualified person for gas, electrical and structural work.
Rain stopped play. Officially research.