Let me just start by saying: my husband and I are the classic “do-it-yourself” couple. We know what needs to be done. We’re capable. We like learning as we go, and there’s something incredibly satisfying about standing back and saying, “Look what we did.”
But this last DIY adventure? I’d trade it in a heartbeat for hiring a third-party restoration crew. And here’s why.
It All Started With...Cat Pee.
(Yes, I said it.)
We thought our cat was being passive-aggressive. Peeing in the same corners over and over. We cleaned it. Enzyme spray. Vinegar. You name it. I was pregnant, so my nose was basically a superpower, and no matter what we did, I could still smell it.
So one day I told my husband, “I think we need to get to the source — like, physically remove the baseboards.” He said, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” But I took that as “Let’s go!” and immediately went in. (Pregnancy hormones + cat pee = zero chill.)
Honestly, the removal was smooth. I’d watched enough YouTube to feel confident. But…then I found it. Black mold. And that, my friends, is how a 30-minute DIY project turned into a full-blown mold remediation and dry-out job.
What Followed Was a DIY Nightmare (and a great story for later)
My husband (who’s actually in restoration) set up a plastic containment — solo, which I do not recommend unless frustration is your love language. Then came the mold removal:
- Cutting drywall
- Removing Insulation
- Accidentally cutting the electrical to the Wi-Fi (😂)
- Cleaning
- Shockwave
- Scrubbing all surfaces
- BEING REALLY HOT in the containment
- More Shockwave
- Hot Air Fogging Benefect
- Running the dehumidifier and air scrubber
The remediation was done right. The sanitization was complete. We passed the post-remediation air sample (PRV) as to-be expected. Everything was dry, cleaned, and technically “done.”
Except… we never got around to putting the walls back.
Because Here’s the Truth: We’re Busy
Between our jobs, our two little girls, and trying to live life — the last thing we want to do at the end of the day is hang drywall and paint.
And that’s the part no one talks about with DIY (or “DYI” if you type fast like me).
Do-it-yourself doesn’t mean do-it-eventually.
It means you’re committing your weekends, your patience, and possibly your sanity to something that could be done right now by someone else.
Why Hiring a Third Party Is Worth It
Let me break it down:
✔️ They show up and finish
✔️ They bring the tools
✔️ They deal with hiccups (like electrical lines) all the time
✔️ They know when to test, how to take a mold sample, and when a dry-out is actually complete
✔️ They don’t live in your house while the machines are running (which, by the way, are LOUD)
✔️ You get your walls back…in days, not weeks.
Final Thought (From the Girl With Open Walls)
Would my husband do a better job than anyone else? Probably. He’s methodical. Clean. Super organized. (And handsome — he’s my husband, after all.)
But you know what he doesn’t have?
Time.
And neither do I.
So if you’re ever debating whether to handle mold removal, cleaning, sanitization, or any kind of restoration project yourself… just ask yourself:
“Do I want to live in a construction zone for the next month?”
If the answer is no — do yourself (and your walls) a favor. Hire someone.
Need help figuring out if it’s time to bring in the pros?
We’ll tell you straight. No shame. No judgment.
Just real support (and your house back).
Ready to Get Started?
Let us take the stress out of submitting documentation for our part of the job.
Call us at 844‑238‑9525 or email hello@responderrestoration.com to schedule your free consultation.