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Spend any amount of time on Pinterest or TikTok and you’ll come across a ton of instructional videos and how-to tutorials fueling the DIY craze across the globe. Everything from bathroom remodels to painting your kids’ room seems simple, cheap, and doable by all. You can even save money on labor costs while making your home Instagram-worthy.
However, there are home improvement projects that you should leave to the experts to handle for various reasons (some are dangerous, while others aren’t worth the hassle). We cover seven projects you should not attempt to DIY.
HVAC repairs. Air conditioning units are a common, essential feature for most households. Broken HVAC units can lead to skyrocketing power bills and health safety concerns. However, all HVAC work, including furnace repair, requires an expert’s input. Trying a DIY fix can end up damaging your appliance, voiding the warranty, or worse, set your home on fire through electrical faults.
Electrical work. As long as your wiring is working correctly, you can carry out simple tasks like changing light bulbs. A certified electrician should handle all other electrical work. Electrical faults are one of the top five causes of home fires. Electricity can be dangerous when mishandled — some cost savings simply aren’t worth the risk. Avoid fooling around with your wiring to avoid any electrocution.
Extensive plumbing work. The chances that you’ve had situations that require you to replace your sink faucets or unclog your drains are high. Bigger plumbing jobs such as kitchen and bathroom remodels may require professionals to complete them. Over 14,000 thousand homes and offices suffer water damage daily. Leave any project that may require rerouting of your pipes to expert plumbers. I’m grateful my brother is a plumber!
Flooring. Property shows often tout flooring as the perfect DIY project for homeowners. However, there’s more to tiling or carpet installation than just ripping up the old. A tiny misstep could mean having to start all over. Besides, you may never know what you may find beneath the hardwood floors. You may need to address any cracks or rot before completing your installation. You may also need to think about all the waste you may have to dump legally and effectively. For example, we had some tile tested in our dining room and it had asbestos that required professional remediation.
Gas installation and repair. Natural gas or propane leaking in your home can be a ticking time bomb. You should leave gas-related works to gas-certified plumbers, including appliance installation, repairs, or replacement. Any mishap during your attempted DIY could set your house on fire. {While we’re at it, you MUST have carbon monoxide detectors in your home. It saved our lives TWICE one winter when we were just about to go to bed. Had we not heard the alarm, we never would’ve made it through the night with the high levels in our home. The fire dept. saved the night!}
Major structural issues. While tearing your walls down can be fun, you may end up damaging beams and footers holding your house together. It would be best not to take any chances with your home’s structural elements. Consult an engineer or contractor before any major upgrade to avoid weakening your home’s overall structure. This includes any facia repairs or siding repair services too. This type of work needs to be carried out by professionals, too, along with structural work. Sidings are used to protect your home’s exterior and rejuvenate it, so once you have addressed your structural issues, make sure you contact the experts for any external cosmetic work. Trust me, I know how big of a pain this can be — my previous home was well over 100 years old and had major issues we had to pay to fix!
Roofing. Replacing the broken shingle dripping water to your ceiling may require you to work at dangerous heights. With the sloping design and need for power tools, your roofing repair is a risky project to attempt alone. Reach out to local roofing companies to help you with the broken flashing. You can benefit from the roofer’s experience and insurance cover if anything goes wrong during the repair. Similarly, you can often find fantastic roofers if you happen to live near an Amish community.
Few moments in life match the joy and excitement of showing off the DIY project you completed alone. However, some home improvement projects you should leave to professionals. Critically analyze your skill level, safety, and building codes before attempting to do it yourself.
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