Many people like to go it alone these days; they bypass property agents for sales and purchases of their properties, and buy and sell their cars without going through car dealers.

The main advantage, according to people who have done so, is the cost-savings from not having to pay a commission to intermediary agents. And of course, a plethora of technology platforms today make it much easier to complete these transactions without ever requiring professional help.

The flip side is, DIY-ers have to file their own paperwork, get all the necessary approvals and licenses from all the respective parties, and manage the whole project and timeline themselves.

The same rules apply to interior design and renovation. If you are thinking of hiring contractors to carry out your design ideas instead of an interior designer, do consider whether your precious time is worth these potential trade-offs:

1. Single point of contact; not multiple contractors

If you hire an interior designer firm, that ID will take care of everything that’s necessary for you to move into your new home. From plumbing, tiling to electrical and mechanical works to getting the project finished on time, you won’t ever have to talk to any contractors at all. The ID is the only party you will ever need to liaise with.

2. IDs provide consultancy services; contractors don’t

Another reason to hire an ID is the fact that they are interior designers by profession. If you fancy creating your own home designs, you’ll still have to tell contractors how much and where to cut, which materials to use, where to buy them from, what colours to paint, how much paint to put on, and the list of what you need to tell them goes on and on…

3. IDs supervise the work; DIY-ers have to supervise contractors

Going it alone means taking time off work to open your home doors so that contractors can come and carry out your work. It also means knowing enough about home renovation to spot mistakes and bad quality work. For IDs, that’s a full-time job. What would it be like for you?

4. IDs are industry-certified, accredited; some have after-sales service

Here’s where it gets tricky: our IDs have built their entire businesses on being professional. That means they know their work so well that they have been awarded industry credentials from the relevant certifying bodies, such as BCA, HDB or RCMA.

Contractors on the other hand, have no obligation to perform beyond the levels that you asked for. In fact, very often you don’t even know what you are missing. The best IDs even have professional after-sales departments like corporations do, to look after you even after your project is long-completed.

5. IDs will insure your deposit with a money-back performance bond; contractors won’t

Lastly, the very best ID firms have Casetrust-RCMA certification, which means their work processes, staff training and finances are closely examined and held to high standards. The directors of these companies are also required to personally guarantee your project deposit with a 3^rd party insurance policy , so that if anything happens to their company, you can still get your money back.

Which contractors offer this level of safeguards for your hard-earned money?