COULD YOU DO THESE HOME IMPROVEMENTS YOURSELF? SHOULD YOU?

Being able to DIY is one of the best parts about owning a home. But it pays to know your limits. When can you do it yourself vs. when do you need an experienced helper vs. when should you hire someone else?

Here are the most common kinds of DIY where you should realistically evaluate your skills before picking up a tool. Some of these are illegal for homeowners to do without a license. But most, when done by an unskilled person, can just end up looking sloppy or not working.

We've divided these projects into three categories: projects that you should never do yourself, projects that you could do with an experienced helper, and projects that you could try but you might regret it later.

And of course, there's a bunch of DIY projects that you can do yourself with varying degrees of confidence, like painting and replacing hardware, stripping old wallpaper, putting up shelves, etc.

Let's start with the projects that you probably shouldn't do yourself, ever.

DIY YOU SHOULD NEVER DO YOURSELF

Don’t replace an electrical panel yourself. Electric panel installation requires a city inspection. You really have to know what you're doing to avoid harming or possibly killing yourself or causing a fire that could destroy your house. This is one project that should never be DIY.

Don’t mess with septic systems. Never pump or siphon a septic system yourself. You could send human waste into a yard or local water supply. Spend a few hundred dollars to hire a professional. Otherwise, it’s a human health violation.

Don’t cut down huge trees. In some states, it’s illegal to cut down large trees without certification. Contact officials or an arborist to get the job done properly if you want to cut down huge trees on your property. Find out your state’s tree removal regulations here.

Don’t convert your electric stove to a gas stove. One mistake could kill you. You need to install a gas line and cut off electrical circuits to convert your stove.

DIY YOU CAN DO, BUT ONLY WITH AN EXPERIENCED HELPER

Replace a gas water heater with another gas water heater. This is one of those projects that seems easy but can be a problem if you do it wrong. Carbon monoxide poisoning or a small gas leak that could spark into a fire are both very real issues. It's not a project to take on if you have even the slightest question or doubt about what you're doing. In this case, having an assistant who's done this type of gas line work before would be useful.

Plumbing. If you're simply replacing the p-trap under your bathroom sink, then it's likely you can manage that on your own. However, if you have the slightest doubt about what you're doing, or if you need to go into the wall, or if your plumbing is old, then you should probably have a helper who knows what they're doing. It might simply make more sense to hire a plumber to do all this work for you because it's no fun twisting your body around and under things to get at the pipes that you're not entirely sure you know what to do with.

Minor electrical work, like replacing a light fixture or replacing a regular switch with a dimmer switch. The most important advice about electrical work is to use the correct fittings and of course turn off the power before you start. It's extremely important that if you do anything complex like the panel mentioned earlier that you work with a licensed electrical contractor who can inspect your work.

Building your own deck. Like anything where safety is concerned, don't take this on by yourself. A mistake could threaten the integrity of the deck, including pulling away from the house or collapsing. An experienced helper can show you what you need to know about sheer strengths, connectors, and proper bracing.

Removing walls. You can’t just take a sledgehammer or an axe to your walls. Some of them are supporting your roof. If you knock down one of these supportive walls, your roof could sag, break, or collapse, doing causing irreparable damage to your home or danger to people. However, if you know someone who has some engineering or construction knowledge who can tell you if it's a supporting wall or not, then you can certainly do the labor yourself.

DIY FINESSE PROJECTS YOU PROBABLY SHOULD DO YOURSELF

These are the kinds of projects that require special skills or a specialized tool or a special touch.

Drywall finishing, tiling, and floor sanding. it's too easy to make mistakes that require a deft touch and a knowledge of how to use specialized tools.

Hanging doors. Doors require precision installation, or you'll have crooked doors that don't shut all the way, or dangle open.

If you need a hand with any of your “DIY” projects, let us know. We’ll refer some of my service providers to you.