Homebuyers burdened by loans for older apartments are increasingly turning to 'semi-self renovations.' This approach allows them to select specific renovation tasks and hire contractors directly, reducing overall costs while improving their living environments.
According to the interior design industry, content showcasing the process of repairing older apartments has gained traction on social media. Examples include videos titled 'Self-Renovation of a 30-Year-Old Apartment,' 'Changing a Bathroom for 50,000 Won,' and 'Replacing Entrance Tiles,' all demonstrating how to transform homes on a limited budget.
Renovation methods are categorized based on who manages the construction and scheduling: self, semi-self, and turnkey. Self-renovation involves the consumer handling most tasks, from purchasing materials to construction, thereby minimizing labor costs. Semi-self renovation allows consumers to hire contractors for specific tasks, such as wallpapering, flooring, and bathroom installations, while managing the schedule themselves. In contrast, the turnkey method involves entrusting all aspects, from design to material procurement and construction management, to a single professional firm. Semi-self renovations offer less construction burden than self-renovations and more cost control than turnkey options, but they require consumers to manage contractor selection and scheduling.
Demand for semi-self and partial renovations is reflected in relevant statistics. According to the lifestyle service platform Sumo, requests for partial renovation services surged from approximately 930,000 in 2021 to 1.75 million in 2025, an increase of 88.2%. Requests for kitchen replacements and bathroom remodels rose by 86%, while requests for interior film installations increased by 93%. In a survey of Sumo users, 57.6% cited 'cost minimization' as their reason for choosing partial renovations.
Consumers planning semi-self renovations often purchase materials directly from markets like Euljiro's Bansan Market. However, since these markets primarily sell materials, consumers may need to hire separate contractors, which could incur additional labor costs. Contractors can be found through referrals from material suppliers or through construction intermediary platforms like Sumo.
The biggest variable in semi-self renovations is schedule management. Since different contractors are hired for each task, delays in one area can cascade and affect subsequent work. Electrical work, wallpapering, and flooring must be completed in a specific order. If the sequence is disrupted, rework may be necessary, or subsequent tasks may be delayed, impacting the overall renovation timeline. Coordinating the order of demolition, installation, tiling, and wallpapering, as well as aligning work dates with various contractors, falls to the consumer.
Consumers must also respond directly if a contractor cancels on the day of work or if tasks take longer than expected. They need to manage details such as elevator and common area protection, waste disposal, and cleaning between tasks, which can be time-consuming. Additionally, they must handle noise and neighbor complaints that arise during the renovation process. If the scope of work, material specifications, additional costs, and responsibilities for repairs are not clearly defined in advance, disputes with contractors may occur.
To mitigate these challenges, some consumers opt for semi-self renovation consulting services, which provide expert advice at a lower cost than turnkey options. These services can assist with design discussions based on blueprints and introduce professional construction teams.
However, many who have experienced the semi-self renovation process report significant stress and caution against it. They emphasize the need to consider not only demolition, waste disposal, and additional costs but also the time and effort required for schedule management.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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