6 Jobs That Are Harder to DIY Than You Think
There are plenty of projects that you can DIY. But trust us. Not everything’s as easy as it seems on TV. Before you start on any of these projects, promise us you’ll think about hiring a professional. Promise? Okay.
Tile work
It seems pretty easy. Just spread the mortar and lay the tiles on it, right? Not quite. The first thing you need to know is do you have a good subfloor. Without that the tiles might not be able to grip the floor and moisture can get in. It’s also a lot harder than it looks to lay the tile straight and those crooked lines are enough to drive you insane. And if you’re even remotely clumsy, it’s pretty easy to drop and crack the tiles.
Countertops
These things have to be cut exact. And when we say exact we mean exact. And even if you do have someone else cut them, your new countertops are heavy. One wrong move and suddenly your beautifully cut granite countertop is cracked.
Pruning/removing large trees
It seems pretty straightforward. You cut the tree, it falls down, end of story. But it takes real skill and planning to make sure the tree falls in a safe direction. And if you’re just pruning it, you’re also going to have to figure out how to be ten feet in the air. On a ladder. Wielding a chainsaw.
Roofing
This one’s another dangerous job. It might seem easy enough to actually shingle the roof, but getting up there and maneuvering around with your tools is another story. And if you make a mistake you run the risk of leaky roofs and water damage. You might end up with mold or a lower home value at the end of your project.
Plumbing
There’s some gray area in this one. You’re probably fine installing a new bathroom faucet. But you’ll probably want a professional if you’re installing a sprinkler system. Why? If you make a mistake and the pipes leak, it might take awhile for you to notice. That could lead to standing water around your house, which can cause serious damage to the foundation.
Electrical
Notice a pattern? That’s right, this is another dangerous one. We’re not talking about installing a programmable thermostat or dimmer switches, but rewiring a room is a different story altogether. If you do this one wrong you could get electrocuted or cause a fire. Doing it yourself might even mean you'll end up paying more because there are some home improvement DIYs that your insurance company won’t cover if something goes wrong.
Even though it might seem like something you can do yourself, there are definitely some projects that a professional should do. There are no hard and fast rules, but there are some guidelines you can go by.