Why I’m Telling Landlords Not to DIY… While DIYing Myself
Hi, there! Joe White here from Grow Property Management, your trusted property management company in Philadelphia.
I wanted to share a quick story with my fellow landlords – ironically, as I’m in the middle of doing the very thing I’m about to advise you not to do: a DIY job.
So here I am, running wire through an old, abandoned dryer vent that stretches beneath an added-on kitchen and into the original basement. The job? Getting power to some new lights as part of a wall renovation. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, not really.
The only way to get the wire through is to push it manually through several feet of insulation. Thankfully, a neighbor of mine who’s also an electrician loaned me a specialty tool made just for this kind of task. It’s pretty slick – made up of extendable sections that poke right through the insulation. But here’s the catch: had I not borrowed it, I’d have needed to buy this one-time-use tool myself. And for what? A single job I may never do again.
That’s the heart of what I’m trying to say. Even though I’m handy, I have a contractor’s license and have done plenty of projects; there’s a difference between being capable and being efficient. Sure, I can run wire. But I’m not an electrician. Would a pro do a cleaner, faster job? Absolutely. And by the time I factor in my time, trips to the store, learning curve, and the cost of specialty tools, I’m not really saving money. In fact, I may be losing it.
It’s tempting to DIY in this business, after all, we’re always looking to trim expenses. But your time is worth something. Your sanity is worth something. And hiring professionals not only saves both but usually results in a better finish. What if I hit a major snag mid-job and still had to call in help – after buying tools and wasting hours?
So yes, I’m standing here pushing wire through a wall, but also reminding you: do the math. If a project truly makes sense for you to handle yourself, then great. But don’t default to DIY just to save a few bucks. Often, it’s not worth the trade-off.
As always, I’m just a humble Philadelphia property management guy doing my best to help you make smart decisions. Happy rental property investing – and now, back to the job I told you not to do.
