Got Chores? Why You Should Pay a Professional — Even if You Could DIY

For the average mom, the to-do list never seems to end. From taking the kids to their activities to chores around the house, life can seem overwhelming sometimes. That’s especially the case when you have a big job or when something goes wrong and needs to be ASAP.

And thanks to today’s DIY culture, brought on by channels like the DIY Network and HGTV, as well as Pinterest, and YouTube the idea of hiring someone to take care of seemingly simple chores can feel extravagant or even wasteful.

Why hire someone else to do a job that you can easily handle yourself?

As it turns out, there are several good reasons to hire a professional to handle certain chores. Yes, you’ll have to spend money to get the help, but when you consider the following advantages, you’ll agree that it’s money well spent.

Advantage #1: Expertise

Certain chores seem simple to do at first. You might even be able to do a decent job on your first try. However, there are some chores that seem simple but may, in fact, turn out to be more complex. And if you make mistakes, you could cause more damage.

For example, if your faucet isn’t working, you could attempt to replace it yourself following online instructions. However, if you install it incorrectly, you are opening yourself up to bigger problems later.

Not to mention, when you hire a faucet repair service to inspect and replace the faucet, the technician will troubleshoot. This means in addition to the repair they'll let you know about any other issues as well, preventing future problems.

Advantage #2: Equipment

Even if you have a well-stocked garage, there’s a good chance you don't have everything you need to get ALL your chores done. This means that you have to buy, rent or borrow what you need.

Say, for instance, you need to have your home and deck pressure washed. A pressure washer will cost you anywhere from $200 to upwards of $1,000. Whereas a rental will likely cost a few hundred dollars. THEN you'll still need to do the work yourself and either find a place to store the machine or deal with transporting it from the rental center.

On the other hand, hiring a professional team to pressure wash your house costs an average of around $350, and you don’t have to deal with it yourself or worry about the equipment.

Advantage #3: Speed

Hiring a professional to tackle some of your chores has the distinct advantage of getting the job done quickly. Not only can professionals generally get things done more quickly, but they will be focused on the one, specific job. Whereas homeowners are typically trying to squeeze it in between other responsibilities.

With the right tools and expertise, professionals can get the job done right in less time than an amateur.

Advantage #4: Safety

Some chores are simply best left to professionals, especially anything involving electricity. But even if a chore can be done by an amateur, without the right tools and know-how, you could be putting yourself or your family at risk.

If you aren’t entirely certain of your skills, it might be best to hire a professional to keep everyone safe.

Advantage #5: Reduced Stress

Finally, taking chores off your plate can reduce stress.

If you are fretting about the chores — about how you plan to get them done or the fact that they aren’t getting done — then calling for help can eliminate that stress and help you devote your time and energy to something more productive.

Ultimately, you need to weigh the cost of paying someone to take on your chores against the costs (both time and money) of doing them yourself, but in many cases, you’re likely to find that hiring an expert is the most cost-efficient option and will get the job done right.