Which Home Projects Are DIY and Which Require a Pro?

by E. E. Kane

Some home projects are completely doable by the homeowner. Others are best left to a professional. Use these guidelines to determine if your next home project is a DIY job or not.

When we bought our home in foreclosure, it was suffering the effects of former fixes that didn’t work out so well. That’s being gracious.

Electric wire was stapled to the walls, snaking up to light fixtures and receptacles, with haphazard connections when the wire apparently ran short. Above-the-floor plumbing, combined with inadequate heat and no insulation, resulted in burst pipes. The great miracle was not that anyone had lived there, but that they made it out alive.

This was exactly the kind of mess we were looking for. My husband, raised in the construction business and a master electrician, had the chops and tools for the job.

As we encountered each miserable attempt by the former owners, it was all too easy to question their judgment. What money they poured into the home was misspent. Years down the road, we have a vastly improved home, yet there are areas that make us scratch our heads and say, “What were we thinking when we did it that way?”

Often Times DIY Can Really Pay Off

Some remodeling projects are completely doable by the homeowner with the right tools, knowledge, materials, and prep work. Other projects are best left to a contractor.

How do you know where the line is?

That’s mostly up to your experience, available time, and willingness to make the effort and spend the money to do it right. From a financial angle, it can really pay off to DIY. Even if you have to DIY twice, it’s usually cheaper than hiring a contractor.

Sometimes DIY Can Be Costly

Sheer determination isn’t always enough. You could harm the resale value of your home with a botched remodel. Your home could be canceled or turned down for insurance coverage, as most insurance companies require proof that a contractor performed the work for major repairs. (See Homeowners Insurance Basics Every Homeowner Should Know.)

Your safety is a graver matter. In a study by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the occupation with the second highest amount of fatalities was construction trade workers. Pause and think. Do you have good health and life insurance? Have you made out your will?

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Home Projects That Typically Require a Pro

Here is a short list of repairs that need expert handling to guarantee quality and a good return on your investment

Electricity

Any wiring inside the walls, ceiling, or panel box should be handled by a licensed, insured electrician. (See also: Troubleshooting Simple Electrical Problems.)

Plumbing

Avoid jobs involving enclosed pipes, which, if done incorrectly, could weaken surrounding structures and cause mold.

Roofing

Steep roof angles and tricky dormer windows are just two conditions that could lead to costly mistakes. (See 5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Roofer.)

Refinishing Hardwood Flooring

Running a drum sander is a little scary for a beginner. You can easily leave dips and scratches. Only attempt it if you have a less-conspicuous area for adequate practice, like a child’s bedroom or the mudroom.

So How Do Homeowners on a Tight Budget Keep Their Homes Ship-Shape?

They evaluate their resources (or lack thereof) and blend them with the best help they can find to make the most of their investment.

If you are anything like us, you’ll stubbornly persist in finding a way to do it yourself (although even my husband wisely hired a contractor to install the HVAC system). Try these ideas:

Barter your skills with another skilled tradesman.
Attend classes. Home Depot and other home improvement stores hold classes on specific projects, like laying tile. Some classes are free.
An online tutorial may be all you need to beef up on a subject. A case in point is drywall. It’s a little tricky, but with a good tutorial and practice, you can do it. Be aware that some tutorials won’t cover the odd bump in the road of a repair. Older homes are notorious for throwing a monkey wrench into the job just as you reach a very critical point. Practice sufficiently before you do the job.
Sometimes, more hands will improve the result nearly as much as skill level, such as roofing a house. (See Simple Ways to Save on a New Roof.)
Hire a contractor only for the most difficult parts of a project (he runs the drum sander on your wood floor, and you stain and finish), or work out a deal where you do the unskilled grunt work in exchange for a reduced bottom line. (See 7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Contractor.)

Tackling a remodeling project is financially worthwhile and can be enormously gratifying.

Ensure your project is a success story, and not a disaster, with plenty of research and foresight. Otherwise, your repairs could cost more in the long run, and all of your labor (sweat, blood and tears) will not turn into equity.

Reviewed September 2023

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