DIY vs. DIFM: The Homeowner’s Ultimate Dilemma

Homeowners often face the dilemma of when to draw the line between doing it themselves and hiring a professional. Sometimes the consequences of DIY are unforeseen, until you’re looking at a dead lawn a week later. Other times DIY can save you money, and provide a great learning experience. On the other hand, hiring a professional for lawn care gives you more free time. Here we look at the pros and cons of each:

What are the benefits to DIY lawn care?

Doing projects yourself brings the satisfaction of the experience as you bask in your self-sufficiency. Setting aside a time of day to go outside and care for your lawn gets you outside and encourages interaction with neighbors. You might also notice other things that need attention while you go about your work, like a lightbulb that needs changing, or a sprinkler head that fought the snow plow and lost.

Is it cheaper to maintain my lawn myself?

If this isn’t going to be an ongoing project, you’ll benefit from short term savings. Although the DIY approach opens up new learning experiences if you plan to do this long term, this can sometimes be lessons learned the hard way, and more money spent to correct problems.

If you want to take your lawn care into your own hands, factor in the value of your time. Is spending your free time caring for your lawn more important to you than conspiring with your wife on how to keep the squirrels off the bird feeder?

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