Redoing the deck - DIY vs hiring out

1d ago1 min read

Spent the last month ripping out the old deck and building a new one. Did most of it myself with some help from my neighbor and my oldest. Could've paid someone 5k to do it but I only spent about 1800 in materials and got to keep my weekends. Back is sore, I messed up a few cuts, had to buy more wood than planned, but now every time we grill out there I can look at it and feel like I actually did something. Family loves it and they definitely use it more knowing dad built it. Might build a pergola next even though my wife is already making faces about it.

6 comments119 views

Comments(6)

BBlake T.New Dad1d ago

That's the move right there. Your oldest is learning way more from helping you than you would've paid anyone to do that work. Plus the deck's gonna be even better because you actually built it.

MMike R.New Dad1d ago

Respect for doing it yourself and getting your oldest involved. My kid's still too little to help with anything like that, but that's the stuff they're gonna talk about for years.

GGarrettNew Dad16h ago

Okay so how did the DIY route actually go? I've been thinking about tackling a patio project but I'm kind of terrified of messing it up and wasting money. What would you do differently if you did it again?

MMiguelRegular7h ago

DIY deck builds are a journey man. The money you save is real but so is the back pain. Respect for finishing it yourself though. Was it worth skipping the contractor?

MMarkRegular12h ago

How much did you actually save doing it yourself versus hiring it out? I'm always trying to figure out which projects are worth my time and which I should just pay someone for.

MMiguel R.Regularjust now

A whole month of work, that's dedication. I meal prep on Sundays but a full deck build is next level. Did you do it solo or did the family help out? Either way, bet the payoff was worth it.