DIY home improvement projects are a great way to make your house a home while taking ownership of your hard work. Engaging in these projects is also a fantastic skills development activity that promotes self-sufficiency and creativity.
However, some would-be DIY projects are best left to professionals. Here are six home improvement projects you should never do yourself.
Electrical Upgrades
The fact that electrical work is on this list shouldn’t be a shock — pun intended. It takes an in-depth knowledge of circuits and how electricity works to install new fixtures safely or rewire your existing setup.
According to Salt Light & Electric, things may not be up to code in older houses, putting you at risk of an unexpected shock once you get into the work.
Whenever electrical work is involved, it’s better to call a professional electrician to handle it. In addition to being at risk for a potentially deadly situation, doing electrical work incorrectly could result in a fire or fry your whole system.
Not only that, your home insurance may not cover the extensive losses if your home burns down in an electrical fire caused by your faulty wiring job — so just make the call.
Plumbing Projects
Like electrical, plumbing work is nuanced and a specialty trade that takes a lot of training to understand.
It is also costly when things go wrong. It may seem fairly intuitive to connect pipes together, but it’s really easy to make a mistake.
A plumber knows how to get the job done quickly and correctly without risking extensive damage to your home.
In addition to the potential for water damage and mold growth, causing an unseen leak could skyrocket your utility bill. It’s better to call a professional to handle plumbing-related tasks.
Painting
Painting is something you could realistically handle yourself, especially if you’ve done it before. Yet, there’s a big difference in the results from a professional painter and an amateur.
There’s also the opportunity cost to consider. If you weigh the value of time spent painting your home yourself, as well as acquiring all the materials and preparing the space, it’s often worth the expense of having a professional do the work.
Another benefit of hiring a professional painting service is that they’re efficient as they work.
In other words, your space will be disturbed for less time when outsourcing to a professional. If you have high ceilings or need your entire house done in order to sell, hire a painting service without hesitation.
Structural Changes
Opening up a choppy floorplan for a more modern open concept home is a fantastic idea. Doing it yourself is not.
Sure, there are plenty of steps that you can handle without supervision throughout the process, but the initial planning for structural changes should always be handled by a professional.
Have a contractor look at your home and help you devise a strategy. They’ll be able to identify support walls and whether your renovation will require a plumber or electrician for help.
One wrong swing in demolition mode, and your house could become structurally unsound.
Tiling
Tiling is another DIY project that you could learn to handle yourself — but it’s a nightmare. Again, it seems like putting down some glue and placing tiles is pretty intuitive, but it’s a tedious process if you want it to look good.
The slightest error with measuring can also dramatically impact the results, and cutting tiles takes special equipment.
If you have big tiling goals, start with a few smaller projects first to get a better idea of the process. Better yet, call a skilled professional to handle the work for you.
Refinishing Hardwood
Finally, refinishing hardwood floors should always be left to a specialist. The time commitment and attention to detail are immense, and every slight mistake is painfully obvious. Rather than trying this monumental undertaking yourself, hire a floor refinishing professional.
To be a successful DIYer, be humble and know when it’s time to call for help.