DIY Or Not? – Which Jobs Should Be Left To The Experts

Which Jobs Should Be Left To The Experts?

The ability to not only save a good amount of money, but also gain an inimitable sense of satisfaction, makes the prospect of DIY an exciting one. Many people opt to save cash by doing handiwork themselves, not everyone possesses the skills necessary to fix their own homes—even with the help of instructional online videos.

Attempting a DIY project without careful preparation and complete knowledge of the task at hand can actually result in expenses that far exceed the cost of a contractor. Even if you have experience and know-how, it's important to consider the time, materials, tools, and permits required for your home improvement project. Whether it’s ripping out an old kitchen or tacking on a granny flat, people are obsessed with renovating. Often with kitchen and bathroom renovations at the top of many DIY renovators’ lists.

But before you strap on that work belt and dust off your power tools, you should know that botched DIY jobs frequently end up costing homeowners thousands of dollars and can even lower a home’s value.

So before you begin any DIY project, you should ask yourself the following questions:

Do you have the know-how, the technical skills, and the necessary experience?

Too many homeowners jump into DIY projects with little or no knowledge of what it will require, only to discover halfway through that they haven’t bought the right materials or simply don’t have the tools and expertise necessary to complete the job.

A professional builder or contractor will be able to tell you exactly what materials you’ll need and how much everything will cost, and will already have all the necessary tools, which saves you from having to buy equipment.

Do you have the time? (and the money you’d sacrifice doing it by not working.)

Even if you have the tools and expertise necessary to carry out a DIY project, you need to ask yourself if it would really be worth the money you’d save. Sure, it might be cheaper to do it yourself, but would it be worth the time you’d spend away from work and family?

A professional will also be able to complete the job a lot faster than you would, so you’ll be spared the headache of living in a construction site for months on end while you attempt complete a project in your spare time.

Do you know the risks and how to handle them?

Some projects, such as those that involve plumbing or electrical work , can be risky if you don’t know what you’re doing. But aside from the fact that you could be putting yourself in harm’s way, you may not be properly licensed to carry out certain jobs, which means your insurance may not cover damage or injuries that result from your DIY projects.

If you’re still not sure whether you can or should tackle a DIY project on your own, here’s a look at some of the most common home improvements, and the ones you’d be better off hiring a professional to do.

1. Painting or Wallpapering

Painting and wallpapering generally falls into the category of projects that homeowners with a bit of DIY experience are capable of tackling on their own, but you will need to do some research on how to properly prepare the surface and choose the right paint or wallpaper for the job.

Painting and wallpapering can also be particularly time consuming jobs, and you’ll need to consider potential hazards such as working on ladders and dealing with solvents and dust. With this in mind, you should seriously consider whether the pros of doing the job yourself would outweigh the cost of hiring a professional.

2. Repairing Property Damage

Property damage may range from clogged drains to leaky roofs and water damage, so when considering whether to tackle a job yourself or bring in a professional, you’ll need to consider the scale of the job, the risks involved, and what sort of time commitment would be required.

For instance, you could probably take on simple tasks such as repairing a leaky tap or fixing a creaky door if you have the right tools, whereas larger repairs such as re-tiling a roof or replacing windows and doors would almost certainly require the attention of a licensed professional.

3. Home Extensions & Renovations

The most common jobs include extensions and renovations such as adding a bedroom, bathroom or outside kitchen and modernizing homes to an open plan living design.

When it comes to DIY projects, the onset of reality TV renovation shows has given people a false perception of the work involved and the potential for costly mistakes.

People mistakenly believe that just about anyone can tackle extensive renovations and extensions or think that hiring the tradesmen alone and trying to manage the job will save them money. Unfortunately, it doesn't take much to course a costly disaster and people often over estimate their ability without doing their homework. Registered builders are well-versed with the building process and understand how to keep the build on schedule and quality control in check, whereas the layperson has no real idea of how much time it takes to manage the building process and expenses.

4. Electrical Jobs

Electrical work should never be attempted without the help of a properly licensed electrician because there are a number of risks associated with DIY-ing electrical work. The first and most obvious risk is your personal safety and that of those around you, as working with electrical cabling is not the same as installing your own shelves or even fixing a broken pipe. Electrical work is undoubtedly one of the home repairs you shouldn’t DIY. The other risk of doing it yourself, is the risk to your pocket. More often than not you'll need to get an electrician out to rectify the work you've done and bring the cabling up to the standards, and this will end up costing you a lot more than if you’d simply hired a licensed electrician to begin with.

5. Plumbing Jobs

Although simple plumbing jobs  such as unclogging a drain or fixing a leaky tap can usually be tackled by an amateur handyman or woman without any problems, larger repairs or installations should never be attempted without the help of a professional plumber.

Jobs such as installing or repairing septic tanks, replacing old piping or dealing with gas lines could pose health and safety hazards, not to mention that improperly sealed connections could lead to leaks, moisture damage and mold, which will cost a lot more to fix in the long run.

6. Upgrading Patios or Decks

While a brand new patio or deck can increase your living space and add to the curb appeal of your home, one that’s badly built or poorly designed could have the opposite effect.

An experienced carpenter or builder will be able to advise you on a design that matches your home’s structural design, what sort of materials are best to use based on where you live, how much you should expect to spend and what sort of permits you might need.

7. Bathrooms & Kitchen Renovations

When renovating bathrooms or kitchens, many homeowners assume they can save some money by doing the tiling themselves, thinking it’s as easy as slapping some adhesive on the walls and floors and laying down the tiles.

DIYers often make basic mistakes such as choosing tiles that are difficult to work with, not properly preparing the surface, spending insufficient time on grouting or failing to ensure that all tiles are absolutely level. Many do-it-yourself weekend warriors think tiling is just laying one tile down after another.  One of the most common mistakes DIYers make is attempting their own waterproofing. We recommend a waterproofing specialist to do this work, as leaking showers are expensive to fix.

If you end up with a half-finished bathroom which you want the tradesman to finish, in most cases no tradesman want to continue someone else’s work. They will want it all pulled out to start again.