RENO App vs. DIY Renovation: The Real Cost of Going It Alone

Farah Karabeg

Published on

Jun 20, 2025

Table of contents

Renovating through IKEA and freelance contractors might seem flexible. But without a structured plan, it often leads to mismatched timelines, missed details, and rising costs. You can do it yourself, but do you want the friction and uncertainty that comes with DIY home renovations?  

Some homeowners source IKEA furniture and hire freelancers on WhatsApp. Others prefer working with system that brings everything together. With the RENO app, you get structure, support, and accountability in one system.  

To help you make your choice, this comparison breaks down the trade-offs between managing it all yourself and using RENO to guide you from concept to completion.

• Doing Renovations via RENO App vs. DIY: A Comparison
• What It Means to Do a Renovation by Yourself
• The Gaps You’ll Need to Fill When You Go Solo
• What RENO App Takes Off Your Plate
• A Better Way to Renovate

‍

Aspect	RENO App	DIY (IKEA + Freelancers)
Design & Space Planning	Custom floorplan-first designs built around your space	Self-managed, based on modular sizing
Contractor Coordination	RENO matches and manages contractors for you	You manage labor timelines and communication
Quality Assurance	RENO engineer checks key milestones	You must inspect and follow up
Timeline Management	RENO tracks and updates through the app	DIY scheduling across vendors
Payments	Structured pay-later plans with full cost transparency	Varies by vendor; often upfront
End Result	A professionally executed, QA-verified project	Dependent on your ability to manage all parts

What It Means to Do a Renovation by Yourself

DIY doesn’t always mean you hold the hammer and nails. It often involves:  

• Buying modular IKEA kitchens or wardrobes 
• Hiring freelancers for painting or joinery through WhatsApp or Facebook 
• Managing contractors and suppliers on your own 
• Using your own Excel sheet to track progress and costs  

It's a workable choice for homeowners without construction skills, but it leaves you in charge of many moving parts. Many who have gone this route have found themselves running into expensive, time-consuming complications.

The Gaps You’ll Need to Fill When You Go Solo

Without a structured system like RENO, you’re in charge of everything-from timeline coordination to on-site problem solving. That can be a big responsibility for people with little or no experience managing home renovations. Here’s a breakdown of the key responsibilities

Create the Project Scope

Before you get started, you need to define what you are building. Without clear scope and documentation, what you thought would be a small job can turn into an expensive mess. To define your project scope, you must measure spaces yourself or pay a third party to do it. Then you have to research what fits your layout vs. what fits your lifestyle. After that, you have to translate your ideas into clear instructions for vendors and workers. And if your materials or ideas don't match the space or the contractor's approach, you have to start all over again.

Source, Vet, and Coordinate Freelancers

You'll have to hire several people and make sure they work well together. This starts with finding contractors through social media, forums, or referrals.

After you verify their licenses and check their references, you'll have to determine each contractor's availability, quotes, and skill. Then you have to align your carpenter, painter, electrician, etc. around your timeline. If any miscommunication or delays arise, you have to resolve them yourself.

‍

A stressed out DIY renovator on a phone call at her desk, appearing overwhelmed in a modern office setting — When you manage a renovation alone, every mistake, delay, and miscommunication lands on you. RENO steps in so you don’t have to carry that burden.

‍

You’ll Be the Site Manager (and the One Blamed for Mistakes)

Since you run the project, you'll be making frequent site visits to monitor the ongoing work. If there's a disagreement between different tradesmen, you have to mediate. You also have to negotiate over any disputes over work quality or project scope.

RENO gives you a dedicated engineer who inspects each milestone. We catch errors early, not after handover. Learn more about our renovation project management services.

Track Progress Daily

Who maintains spreadsheets, receipts, and timelines? You do. You track who's paid, who's delayed, and what remains to be done. And you have to decide quickly so you don't halt the workflow. 

With the RENO app, you can track all updates, cost approvals, and milestones live on your dashboard.

Cover Costs Upfront and Unexpectedly

DIY renovations require multiple deposits to freelancers, often in cash. You also have to manage mismatched pricing, material overruns, and last-minute costs. With RENO, you can finance your project through personal funds or credit

Solve Any Unexpected Problem

If the tile cracks, the paint peels, or the cabinet doesn't close, it's up to you to fix it. Because there's no shared system, there's no shared responsiblity. You're the central decision maker and the burden of getting it fixed rests on your shoulders.

Handle Permits and Safety on Your Own

Before the project starts, you will need to get all the necessary permits and approvals, especially in villas, shared buildings, or managed communities. You need to coordinate with property managers or building supervisors, and to manage the legal and safety implications of any electrical or plumbing changes.

Types of Permits You May Need

Municipal Renovation Permits 
You'll need municipal permits for structural changes, room additions, or major layout alterations. These must be submitted to your local Dubai Municipality or other emirate-specific authorities. 

Community/NOC Approvals 
If you live in a managed building or gated community, you may need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before work begins. This may come from the developer or facilities management company (e.g. Emaar, Nakheel). NOC approvals are common for changes that involve noise, plumbing, electrical work, or delivery access.  

DEWA / SEWA Coordination 
For work involving electricity and water, you may need coordination with DEWA (Dubai Electricity & Water Authority) or its local counterpart. This is especially important for installations like water heaters, new wiring, or rewiring.

What RENO App Takes Off Your Plate

You don't have to manage dozens of moving parts: RENO gives you one flow and one point of contact from layout to handover. We're a renovation platform designed to structure, supervise, and simplify every stage of your project.  

Here’s what you no longer have to worry about when you use the RENO App:

The Pressure to Plan Your Layout Alone

Planning layouts can be challenging if you're not trained in design or construction. Your plans might not be practical for daily living, or might not work within your current structure. With RENO, you get a tailored professional design based on the actual layout and flow of your home. We provide floorplan-first space planning, with moodboards and joinery drawings shaped around your routine, storage needs, and lifestyle. We coordinate material and finish selections with your scope.  

Learn more about Reno’s design process.

The Stress of Sourcing and Managing Contractors

No more scrolling through Facebook groups or calling multiple freelancers. RENO matches you with a contractor who has already been vetted, briefed, and approved for projects like yours, be that a residential or commercial project. We handle introductions, scheduling, and briefings and contractors work within a clearly defined scope to avoid cost creep.

Quality Control on Site

Taking care of quality control means regular site visits. And unless you're a trained contractor or engineer, you might not recognize serious issues until problems arise later. When working with RENO, a trained engineer visits your site at key milestones to verify workmanship, materials, and alignment to your approved plans.   

This prevents costly errors before handover. An independent inspector, not the contractor, signs off on key tasks. You get detailed milestone reports that let you know how the work is progressing without assumptions or excuses.   

RENO provides support even for long-term tenant projects and commercial property owners who need serious reliability.

‍

A Reno site manager using a spirit level on a wall to check alignment during a site inspection — Professional quality control means catching errors before they cost you. With RENO, trained engineers verify every milestone to keep your renovation on track.

The Chaos of Tracking Progress

Instead of coordinating via WhatsApp and email, you’ll manage your project through a clean, easy-to-use dashboard. Everything is documented, aligned, and trackable. You can approve key stages from your phone, get daily updates and photo progress, and view your timeline, payments, and tasks--all in one place.

The Uncertainty of Paying Everyone Upfront

With DIY renovations, you frequently must pay your contractors upfront. If you're not satisfied with their work, you have little recourse since they already have your money. RENO changes that with structured payment options and full project cost visibility from day one. You choose whether to pay in full or split costs over 3, 6, or 12 months. Your costs are locked and tied to a BOQ, so there are no unexpected fees and no last-minute payment requests from random freelancers.    

Find out more about RENO’s Pay Later plans.

A Better Way to Renovate

DIY renovation requires a lot of time, effort and risk. When you choose RENO for your renovation, you get tailored design plans without the worries.    

Whether it's a home renovation, a villa upgrade, or even remodelling a commercial property, we always work with verified, experienced contractors. There are no worries about freelancers with mixed reviews. We offer quality that's checked and guaranteed.    

The RENO app lets you follow your renovation's progress as it happens. You get real-time app tracking, not messy spreadsheets. And instead of big upfront payments, we offer payment plans you can trust.