Is it hard? Has anyone done it themselves successfully? Would people recommend that you get a builder to do it?
Carpet laying, wallpapering and car tinting are things I've tried and succeeded, but man what a waste of your own time if you're trying to save money, go do 3 hours more of your job and use the money to pay for it. these things look easy but getting it perfect is a skill that's learnt. It's so cheap to lay with a professional.
It's a pain in the butt and one of the few things I'd rather pay someone to do. It's hard to position the carpet when you're alone, the carpet stretcher hurts my knees, and the pros always get a decent enough result.
Is this a question about project homes ? You need to compare the convenience of a single contract they will manage with the savings. And if its in the contract the valuer may value the property as completed where if you do it they wont. Lenders check this and lower vals are given for unlandscaped and also no curtains, flooring etc. So not only does it value down bu the lender then lends 80% max.....When when its completed it values better and lender will lend it. For existing property carpet and flooring install is a low paid low sklll job that is highly price competitive. Most retailers have a load of installers who do work for fixed prices per m2 that the retailer usually can quote as "laid". ... Subject to underlay or levels etc. Stairs extra....They rock up looking like carnies in a **** van with the carpet rolled and cut to size and ready to install and know their trade. There isnt a single moment in my life I thought about laying my own flooring to save $$$. I dont know how and dont want to and expect a great job. Its hard work on knees and the back. Tip : Buy a stanley knife and cut up one room of carpet into strips and lug it outside. You will never think of it again. And the carnies take away that for free.
Thanks for all your replies. On the same type of note, how many people have a go at interior painting vs getting a painter to do it?
Yeah painting is loads easier than carpet laying, if you're patient, have time for things to be prepared well and have attention to detail. It can be also quite easy to monumentally screw it up and coat a heap to fix. Do paint before carpet! Hire a gun like this Graco Ultra Max II 495PC Pro Electric Airless Sprayer - Stand 17E889 See how you go. Remember to backroll, easier with two people. Buy a proper half or full face 3m mask, I like my 6500 series, also good for asbestos etc. If you're using tape to get straight lines of colour, lay tape, lightly paint over tape then paint next colour on-top, gets a perfect bleed free result. Also, like most trade stuff if you could be earning $40+/hr somewhere else, it's cheaper to do your job and leave it to the pros..if doing it after work hours and like becoming a zombie then it's rewarding. I painted my weatherboard exterior for $3k in Dulux and inside was around $1500, plus $3000 in tools. I like tools, so that's ok. You can paint internally in 2 days easily with two people. 4 hours for bottom/top coat then a day for trims.
Thanks for the tips. If you remember, what would've the comparative trade rate be to paint your weatherboard exterior?
I got quoted $15k cash from the painter down the road. I chose to use his tressles. It took me 18 months because I hated it so much. Sanded back to bare timber, fixed all rotten timber and filled any holes. Then 3 coats of paint. The deck was painful, brand new (replaced it with all new hardwood construction!), I used stainless Brad's on the pailings so they wouldn't rust but still filled over 900 nail holes, sanded then gap filled around the bottom of each board to prevent water ingress. That alone took around 200 hours as a non professional. But the job I'd say, is better than any professional as I wasn't on a time constraint.