Mine was about $9k, but I hired out most of it after realizing I was in over my head with the electrical and plumbing. Honestly, worth every penny not having to deal with surprise leaks or wiring headaches. DIY is great until it eats your whole month.
DIY is great until it eats your whole month.
Ain’t that the truth. I went into my 1920s bathroom thinking, “How hard can it be?” Cut to me three weeks later, surrounded by buckets, muttering at century-old pipes that looked more like abstract art than plumbing. Ended up calling in the pros after a minor flood incident—turns out, old houses have a sense of humor.
Nine grand sounds about right, especially if you’re dealing with anything older or quirky. Paying for peace of mind (and dry floors) is worth it. DIY is fun until you realize you’ve spent more at the hardware store than you would’ve on a contractor. Sometimes you just have to wave the white flag and let someone else wrangle the gremlins behind the walls.
It’s wild how fast “just a quick update” turns into living at Home Depot. My bathroom reno is still ongoing and I’ve basically become best friends with the paint aisle guy. Thought I’d save money doing it myself—now I’m not even sure what color my wallet is under all the receipts. At this point, I’d pay someone just to make the dust go away. Old tile is stubborn, man.
Honestly, DIY always sounds like a money-saver until you’re knee-deep in demo dust and mystery plumbing. I’ve seen folks spend more on “fixing” their own mistakes than if they’d just hired a pro from the start. Curious—are you tackling the plumbing and electrical too, or just the cosmetic stuff? That’s where budgets can really spiral if you’re not careful...
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had the opposite experience a couple times. Did a full gut on my last bathroom—yeah, it was a mess for a while, but I saved a ton by handling the demo, tiling, and even some basic plumbing myself. The key for me was knowing my limits. I left the electrical to a licensed guy, but swapping out a toilet or running new PEX lines isn’t rocket science if you do your homework.
I think a lot of the horror stories come from folks jumping in without a plan or the right tools. If you’re methodical and patient, DIY can be a huge money-saver. Not saying it’s for everyone, but it’s not always a budget disaster either. Just gotta be honest about what you can handle and when to call in help.