We live in a 1960's rancher with pitiful insulation (doesn't really even cover the joists in the attic) and so I have been meaning to buy a bunch of cellulose one day, rent a machine, and get dirty to keep my house nice and insulated. With ~1300 sq. ft of attic, I calculated that I would need 60-70 bags of the stuff to bring our insulation up to R-49 minimum. At $11.80/bag that meant at least $700 plus a free machine rental and an entire Saturday.
For giggles, I called around to local pros in my area and found one who would do it for $1,600. I also found out that my local utility will give a rebate of $0.75/sq. ft if insulation is installed by a professional, meaning I'd get $975 back, bringing the total cost to $625 to have someone do it for me, with none of the hassle.
I know a large part of mustachianism isn't directly about money, but about the benefits of hard work on your mind and soul, as well as learning new skills. So if the prices of professional vs. DIY are close enough, Pete might say it's still better to DIY. But I was really not excited about crawling around in my small attic for a day and getting filthy. Last time I was up there installing and wiring some recessed lights for my garage, I had a bunch of bruises on my hips from laying on the joists. *waaah*
Is this a win? Or should I go do some push-ups to make my life harder?