When it comes to deciding if you should tackle remodeling jobs yourself, there are many factors to consider. Do you have the skills necessary? Will you finish the remodeling job in a reasonable amount of time? Will the remodeling job actually look good if you do it yourself? (Keep in mind that sloppily completed remodeling jobs could decrease your home’s resale value.)
To make your decision easier, here are what we consider home remodeling jobs that almost always should be left to the pros. If you’re trying any of these yourself, proceed with extreme caution!
1. Electrical Work
If you’re shaky when it comes to circuity and panels, call a professional. Home remodeling jobs involving electrical work become a safety hazard if you don’t know proper wiring techniques. Remember: Just because you can put something together and it works, doesn’t mean it’s safe.
2. Structural Work
If the home remodeling job involves headers, footers, and beams, it’s time to bring in a contractor. This kind of work has to be drawn or approved by an engineer, whose plans must be followed to the T. You never know when you’re messing with a part of the home’s structure that’s critical to its long-term stability and safety.
3. Insulation Work
Installing batt insulation like fiberglass might seem like an easy project, but you’d be surprised by a small mistake — like leaving gaps — can lead to big problems down the road. (Gaps in the insulation inevitably attract heat and moisture, which you don’t want rotting your walls.) Don’t forget that a contractor can almost always get a better deal on insulation than you would as a DIY-er, which makes up for some of the cost of hiring a pro.
4. Tile Work
A lot of thought, planning, and time goes into a beautiful tile installation. This is a remodeling job you can’t necessarily learn how to do from a YouTube video, since every type of tile is different and requires a different approach to install right. When installed incorrectly, tile might look good at first but start to crack and shift after a year or two. The money you’ll spend on repairs could have gone to a contractor who’d have done the job right.
