The recent popularity of DIY shows and home improvement topics has spawned a new wave of homeowners willing to get their hands dirty. Putting your own blood, sweat, and tears into a project will certainly help you to more thoroughly appreciate the finished project, but there are some things that should just be left to trained individuals.
Some aspects of your home are very intricate, and could affect other parts of your home in a big way should something go awry. It’s important to know your boundaries, and choose wisely when engaging in DIY upgrades/repairs around the house.
Here are a few projects homeowners should simply never turn into a DIY opportunity.
Electrical repairs are a bad idea
Getting your hands all wrapped up in an electrical job around your home is not the best idea. Safety becomes a serious issue anytime the electrical grid of your home is being altered. It’s a good idea to call the professionals when something goes wrong with the electric in your home.
You may even think you have done a great job, but trouble lurks in the shadows. Improper wiring may take a while, but it could burn up your wiring in that area of the home, causing other (more serious) problems.
Major renovation projects
Major renovations, especially those that require a wall to be moved or eradicated altogether, take a little more knowledge to complete properly. You’ll need the proper permits, and there are a million and one scenarios that end in disaster.
If you take out a load-bearing wall, for example, you could bring your whole house down. It may only warp your second floor, but both scenarios are extremely expensive to undo.
Plumbing work can get hairy
A terrible plumbing job probably won’t put your family’s lives in danger, but it could cause a whole domino effect of expensive repairs. Snaking your clogged drain or plunging a toilet is one thing, but anything more extensive should be done by a trained professional.
Roofing is too important
The National Safety Council records more than 6,000 deaths every year from falls in the United States, and most of those falls are from a ladder or roof. Don’t play around with roofing your home.
A leaky roof can lead to many other expensive fixes around the house in addition to the clear danger of being on the roof. Save time and bandages by hiring the professionals.
Laying tile on your floors
A great looking, long lasting tile job takes skill. It won’t put you in any inherent danger to do the job yourself, but you may be stuck with an ugly, uneven floor for a while.
Cutting the edges of tile to fit precisely in corners and around curves in the flooring of your home is very technical and takes special tools. Let the professionals get the job done in a day or two, and save money on redo and repair costs.