rationalskepticism.org

Boyle wrote:

ScholasticSpastic wrote:

Boyle wrote:The most important thing about DIY home improvement is that you spend as much money doing it and repairing it and buying one-off tools as you would have to hire a good contractor to do it right the first time.

Tile saw: $40
Tile snips: $10
Grout float: $6
Trowel: $10
Tiles: $600 (on clearance- 22 cases of 18ft2 each)
Saw blades: $65
Thinset: $100
Grout: $30

Total cost for 390ft2: $861

I left off the spacers because they were cost-negligible, and the knee pads because they'll be useful for other tasks. The bucket I decided to waste because I was too tired to rinse it out at the end of the process cost maybe $3.

I'm seeing estimates online for over $1000 for a 32ft2 bathroom floor.

Yep, I totally wasted money doing it myself.

ETA: Home Despot allowed me to take in the unused case of tiles I bought for a refund, so I didn't count that one. Also, don't be an idiot like I was and buy only the square footage you need. I lucked out, cut judiciously, and managed to use the broken tiles for piece work. But you should seriously consider buying at least 10% more tile than you calculate you'll need for the task. So let's add $60 to my total just for kicks. DIY was $921 for 390ft2 versus over $1000 for a space a tenth as big.

Yah, no joke it is cheaper, but I notice every little fuck up I make along the way. Then again, I like collecting tools, nice ones, so that might be more of an issue. I made my counter top from concrete, though, and saved like 2 grand even with buying every tool I needed, like a 5 inch angle grinder and all the random shit that goes into building a counter top. My fiance is just lucky we don't have room for a table saw or I'd have gotten a fuckin' Jet table saw and made the cabinets too. Which means I'd need a fancy laser level kit.

Also, +1 for PEX. PEX is love, PEX is life.