Bright BrushMost Auckland homeowners staring at a scuffed hallway or a faded weatherboard ask the same thing: could I just do this myself?
Sometimes yes. A single bedroom, a door, a small room with a colour you already like, and a weekend you actually have — DIY can be cheaper if you already own the gear and you are careful. The cost that does not show up on the Resene docket is time, filler, primer, tape, drop sheets, and the afternoon you spend fixing drips.
A two-storey exterior, a villa with flaking paint, high stairwells, or a rental that needs to be liveable on Monday are a different job. Hire gear, wasted paint, and the bits you cannot reach safely usually eat the "saving". Painting over damp, chalky, or poorly stuck film means you get to do it again next winter.
Prep is most of the work. Professionals are faster at wash, scrape, sand, and prime, and they own the access. They also know when a wall needs a sealer instead of another top coat, and when a board is too far gone to paint over.
A fair split: interiors of one or two straightforward rooms, if you are patient, DIY is fine. Exteriors, height, dark-to-light colour changes, mould, and anything already peeling are usually cheaper done once by someone who paints every week.
If you are on the fence, send Bright Brush a few photos. Daniel will tell you if it is a sensible DIY or if you will be happier having it done.