Outsource vs. DIY: How to Know Which Spring Home Maintenance Items to Do Yourself

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Sometimes, it pays to throw money at home maintenance. Read on to learn more. 

Owning a home doesn’t just mean committing to paying a mortgage every month. You also have to do your part to keep your home in great shape.

Now there are certain home maintenance items you might need to tackle all year long. But a number of outdoor maintenance items tend to become necessary during the spring. And you may be wondering whether it pays to do those jobs yourself versus hire help.

To see what makes the most sense, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions:

How much does it cost to outsource this work?How dangerous is the work?Do I have time to do the work myself?

Here’s an overview of some common spring maintenance items — and how costly and hazardous they tend to be.

1. Landscaping

Spring is a popular time to plant flowers, trim your shrubs, and get your lawn and backyard into great shape. Plus, you’ll need to start mowing your lawn on a regular basis to prevent it from getting overgrown.

None of this is particularly dangerous work if you know what you’re doing and have the right tools (wearing gardening gloves, for example, is a must). But whether you have the time is a different story.

HomeGuide says that landscapers typically charge $50 to $100 an hour for a two-person crew, but rates vary based on the scope of the job at hand. You might also be able to sign up for a seasonal package if you’re looking for a recurring service, like having your grass cut weekly.

2. Gutter cleaning

Gutter cleaning can be dangerous work. Although it’s not particularly difficult, it generally requires you to balance on a tall ladder to access your gutters and remove the gunk, leaves, and grime that’s accumulated.

Angi says that gutter cleaning costs an average of $162 to hire someone. That might seem like a lot of money to pay for what could be a 20-minute job or so. But think about it this way. By not doing the work yourself, you’re not only keeping yourself safe, but also, keeping away from the ER. And a hospital bill in the event of an injury could end up costing you far more than $162.

3. Pressure washing

It’s common to pressure wash your deck, patio, and siding during the spring so your exterior looks nice. The cost to rent a pressure washer is $100 on average, says HomeAdvisor. Angi, meanwhile, says that the average cost to hire a pressure washing company is between $190 and $400.

Now obviously, your cost will depend on the size of your home. But either way, doing the work yourself could be a source of savings.

Operating a pressure washer isn’t as easy as you might think it is, though. And it might take you several hours to finish cleaning your property. Plus, if you’re not careful, you could hurt yourself or damage your property by mishandling your rented pressure washer. So you’ll need to decide if it’s worth it to pay someone to tackle the work for you.

4. Deck painting

If you have a wooden deck, painting it every year won’t just help it look nice. It might also serve the very important purpose of protecting your deck from the elements and ensuring that it lasts.

Forbes says that the average cost to hire someone to paint your deck is $25 to $100 per hour. Clearly, that’s a wide range, so your best bet is to get quotes if you’re looking to outsource this particular project.

Now the good news is that painting a deck isn’t particularly hazardous to your health. On the other hand, it can be time-consuming. So you’ll need to figure out if it’s worth giving up what could be an entire Saturday or Sunday to get the job done.

The less money you have to spend on home maintenance, the more you get to keep tucked away in your savings account. But in some cases, it really can pay to outsource some of the items above.

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