DIY Attic Insulation vs. Hiring a Professional

Should I Insulate My Attic Myself or Hire a Professional?

There are a few things to think about when making this decision. Will it cost me more to hire a professional? Will my attic need repairing or replacing sooner if I do the work? What are the pros and cons of either choice?

We sat down with Beyond Group’s Project Manager for Insulation, Adam Mowat, to discuss what it might look like to install attic insulation as a Do-It-Yourselfer versus hiring a professional.

How much money can I really save with DIY attic insulation?

The main reason people like to do their own handywork is because of the perceived cost savings. But the cost will likely be similar if not more to do install yourself, says Adam.

There are absolutely some cost savings because you’re not paying for labor, but most of the materials you're buying are going to be considerably more expensive than what a professional can buy them for.

For example, the Home Depot website lists bags of insulation at 2 times more per bag than what a hired hand will pay.

Looking at a 1,000 square foot attic, the materials alone for homeowners would cost about $1.75 per square foot. Whereas hiring a pro would cost around$2.00per sq. ft. Professionals like those at Beyond Group buy materials in bulk(about 1,000 bags of fiberglass batting at a time) and direct from a distributor, whereas a homeowner would need between 10 and 20 bags.

Additional costs a handyman or woman might come across is, rental fees for a machine to blow insulation into the attic, bathroom fan hoses and vents, plus other supplies.

And while, you might save on labor costs, the job will usually take longer if you attempt the job yourself.

“I had a friend who lived two hours from [Calgary] who did his attic himself,” tells Adam.  “I had quoted him prior, and his final cost came in $200 less than my quote, but it took him three days to do the work, and we would have had it done in three hours.”

What Are the Pros and Cons of Hiring a Professional for Attic Insulation?

The pros of hiring a professional is the efficiency of getting the job done quickly so you can get back to normal life and peace of mind knowing the job was done well with less hassle.

The cons are higher upfront costs and having disruption in your home. That said, knowing a quality job was done and won’t have to be revisited for years to come has its own benefits.

Superb vs. Subpar

When it comes to quality, experience goes a long way.  

“I've seen some homeowners do a really good job, but it's not an easy task,” says Adam. “You're never going to get it right the first time, especially if you've never done it before.”

There’s also a safety aspect to think about.

Professionals are familiar with crawling around in an attic and knowing where to step.

“You have to be careful because you could just step right into the drywall,” said Adam. “Our workers are very used to walking around an attic. You can't just step anywhere you want to. If you step in in the wrong spot, you're going to step through the drywall.”

Simply getting on and off the ladder and getting into the attic can be overwhelming for some people too, so having a trained professional take that heebie jeebie task out of your hands is sometimes worth the extra money.

The convenience of taking on an attic insulation installation comes with the inconvenience of taking time away from other things you like to do, or people you like to spend time with. That said, hiring a pro means your home is often open to the elements; the attic door or windows need to be open during the installation.

Admittedly a pro would have doors open for a shorter time than if you doit yourself, but a homeowner taking on the job means they're in control of the doors, and there's no stranger in the house. 

Final Verdict: Which Option is Right for You?

Now that you have a better idea of what it takes to insulate an attic, making the choice to DIY or hire a professional should be a little easier.

The costs are relatively the same, there’s pros and cons to both, and you might be a naturally talented handyman that can install insulation just as good as the experienced one. It really comes down to how much time you want your home in a bit of disorder and how confident you feel about doing a good job.

Still on the fence about whether to tackle an attic yourself or have a trained professional handle it? Get in touch with Beyond Group today and see if we’re a good fit for you!