Biggest home improvment project done solo ?

[Mojo88]

This year I decided to tackle several home improvement projects. The largest being repainting the entire exterior of our two story home by myself. I bought a airless sprayer and started painting at the end of August. I did the painting on the weekends and evenings and as of last week the project was completed.

I forgot just how much effort it took to prep, mask off and apply two coats of paint to the entire house. I didn't get an estimate from a pro, but based on what a neighbor was being charged it would have been around 6000.00 to paint our house. I was able to do it for a little more than 2000.00 and that included the cost of 2 new ladders and the sprayer.

Just curious if anyone else took on a large project this year and how much they saved by doing it themselves.

 

[BenO]

The biggest I've done so far is building a deck in my back yard. It was bi-level totalling about 250 sq ft. Not too big but it was my first project on my own house so I was proud of it. My wife and I just upsized to a larger home and have many projects lined up. First would be to remove the pop-corn ceilings...

 

[russhatch]

I removed the cedar siding and installed vinyl siding and then built a 350-400 sqft deck. Mostly because I am cheap and it saved me money, which I promptly 'saved' and by save I mean spent on wet shaving, photography and watches ....

 

[aar0n]

We're just getting started on a flooring project, pro installation would cost around $3k.

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

This year I decided to tackle several home improvement projects. The largest being repainting the entire exterior of our two story home by myself. I bought a airless sprayer and started painting at the end of August. I did the painting on the weekends and evenings and as of last week the project was completed.

I forgot just how much effort it took to prep, mask off and apply two coats of paint to the entire house. I didn't get an estimate from a pro, but based on what a neighbor was being charged it would have been around 6000.00 to paint our house. I was able to do it for a little more than 2000.00 and that included the cost of 2 new ladders and the sprayer.

Just curious if anyone else took on a large project this year and how much they saved by doing it themselves.

We had the house painted last year, sounds like yours and that is what it cost to paint it - two coats, a primer and finish coat. It was sprayed on and looks awesome.

As to the largest project I have taken on solo... this time of year I sweep the leaves off the front step.

When first married we both hung wallpaper together in a bathroom, a small crowded bathroom. NOT recommended unless you are looking for a catalyst for a divorce. Jeepers, and the pattern had to meet in the corners, etc. It kept peeling down from the ceiling, the edges between two sheets were crooked and worse. I kept saying, "Once we have it all up I'll just start nailing up molding in the corners and along the ceiling. Nobody will ever be able to tell..."

That is when the First Mate dismissed The Captain to relax on the afterdeck with a cold one. Never to be repeated. Eeeek.

 

[Toothpick]

I painted my bathroom once. with leftover paint from someone else project. so i guess it was free?.

....and that's the extent of any home improvement I've done.

 

[JSB33]

I gutted the girls bathroom and then finished it in one very long week.

Also have done a lot of work on the back yard
From this

To this.

And I built this storage building from scratch

 

[Pattorashu]

I don't have pictures or exact figures, but a few years ago I was working with my now ex fiancee's dad, and together we remodeled:

2 bathrooms, complete with a tile shower, floor, counter, cabinets, etc etc (the whole schebang), one in black marble, one in brown tile.
Tiled a front entry in slate.
Laid hardwood floors in living room and dining room, stairs to upper floor, and hallway upper floor. Tiger striped bamboo flooring.
Stainless steel accent wall in kitchen with pot rack on wall.
Reinforced hanging cabinets in kitchen, refinished all cabinet doors (very thick layer of old paint on all of them from previous owner), rebuilt all drawers with proper slides, converted under bar area to cabinets with slide doors.
Converted basement to livable space
Painted entire house
Insulated, ventilated, and floored attic
Built paver patio in backyard
Water feature in front yard.

Never did so many projects in my life lol.

I do know we came in several thousand dollars under budget for remodeling the entire house.