One of the best things about DIYing a home project is that you get full control over your work. That can also be a major downside, especially if something goes wrong, because you’re the only one you have to turn to when you need help. However, one mom in Australia decided that she was going to save a few bucks on her unique kitchen renovation by doing the job herself.
That involved swapping her son’s room for her kitchen in an attempt to take advantage of the better lighting that could be found in the little boy’s room. Of course, that meant rolling up her sleeves and getting to work, something she joked included a lot of delusion on her part when she first started.
But she gamely documented the process on her Instagram account, showing off the highs, the lows, and the massive savings she achieved by doing everything herself. Her story inspired many, and it was even covered by People magazine.
Are you curious to know if you could pull off what Emma Shoemaker did? I know this has me taking a second look at my kitchen and wondering if it wouldn’t be a better fit somewhere else in my house.
The Windows in Her Son’s Room Were the Inspiration
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Shoemaker’s son woke up each morning in a brightly lit room with massive windows, which initially inspired the mom to make the switch. “This kitchen renovation started how all good renovations start: by standing in the room being like ‘what if we…’ then following up with dopamine-seeking and delusion,” she captioned one video about the renovation that got 40,000 likes.
“Turning your kid’s room into your kitchen does admittedly sound crazy but it makes so much sense in our home,” Shoemaker later told People in an interview after the fact, explaining how the home’s layout just didn’t work for her family.
When they originally started getting quotes for the renovation, they were told it would cost them around $50,000 in another Instagram post about the project. However, with the DIY method, she believes she saved her family around $20,000.
The Renovation Wasn’t Without Surprises
One of the downsides to being your own general contractor is having to deal with the issues on your own, Shoemaker explained, and that was something that came up repeatedly during the process. About halfway through the demo work, she discovered that a wall she didn’t think was load-bearing actually was.
“We did briefly panic,” Shoemaker recalled to People. However, additional inspections revealed that the wall was only supporting the ceiling and not the entire frame, so they were able to install a beam and proceed with the project as planned.
Shoemaker Said the Hardest Part of the Project Was Coordinating Everything
Part of that $50,000 quote undoubtedly included paying the general contractor, who works with all of the other subcontractors and suppliers to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
According to Contractor Connection, there are projects when you don’t need the added experience of a general contractor. To figure out where your renovation falls on that list, the website suggests considering how long the project will last. If it’s more than a week, you may want the additional help to keep things moving.
Those projects that require dealing with building codes and inspections may also warrant the splurge, since these rules can be confusing to follow and expensive when you get them wrong.
Lastly, the website says you should consider how many subcontractors you’ll be using. If you need several tradespeople to coordinate on your project, a general contractor could be the way to go.
Not saying those are hard and fast rules, since Shoemaker was clearly able to do some really impressive work all on her own, saving herself a few bucks in the process.