We are all for enabling homeowners to choose on their own improvements. You save money, gain confidence and receive the gratification of custom tailoring your home with your own two hands. But when it comes to certain jobs — plumbing, for instance — we draw the line. Even though these 10 jobs might be inside the range of a very knowledgeable owner, for most of us, they require help from somebody who handles them for a living.
Marcus Gleysteen Architects
1. Foundation repair. If your foundation is in trouble, so is the rest of your house. Wall cracks, sagging ceilings or floors, lopsided doorways and other red flags add up to one alternative: a call into your foundation contractor. It’s well worth investing in professional help to make certain your house remains on sure footing.
186 Lighting Design Group – Gregg Mackell
2. Electrical wiring. We haven’t yet met a builder who believes that wiring is a DIY job. That doesn’t mean that you can’t replace an old fashioned fan or set up a new garage door opener — we are talking about serious, behind-the-walls electrical work. Not only does one need thorough knowledge of their very updated building codes, but the worst-case scenarios are really, actually bad (house fire, injury, death). Hire a licensed electrician for your own safety and peace of mind.
Erin Hoopes
3. Elimination of a load-bearing wall. Knocking a wall out sounds simple, right? Well, if it is load bearing, meaning it conveys and distributes weight, things get a lot more complicated. Eliminating this type of wall wipes out support for those ceilings, floors and other structural elements that break on it and that can have disastrous consequences for your whole home. Additionally, the wall could comprise wiring or ductwork which you don’t need to disturb. Leave this catchy and time-consuming task into your remodeling contractor.
Poor House Interior Design
4. Major plumbing. Two words: water damage. You are likely to set up a new faucet, a showerhead or possibly a bathroom, but when it comes to the larger stuff, expert is the way to go. Pipe connections and other trouble spots could spring leaks which could cost you dearly in the long term. Here’s a good rule of thumb: When it involves work behind the walls, don’t attempt to manage it all on your own.
5. Natural gas lines. Remember the worst-case scenarios with electric work? Same with gas. It may sound simple to conduct a gas line directly to a grill or fire pit, however it is not. Call the gas company and thank us later.
Lizette Marie Interior Design
6. Tile and tub resurfacing. Although this can be an inexpensive alternative to ripping out and replacing dated tile or an old tub, don’t hesitate to save even more by trying it yourself. From the compounds used to strip off the old end to the delicate technique of applying a new one, it is a specialized job which calls for specialized help.
TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design
7. Roofing. Besides the fact that roofing goofs can wreak havoc if they flow, balancing on a steep incline of shingles using a toolbox is harmful, particularly if you’re not properly trained. Employ a roofing expert to make confident that the task gets done correctly and that you won’t confront a treacherous fall.
Windsor Companies
8. Tree removal. Smaller trees (say, 10 or 15 feet high) are OK to decrease your own, but whatever larger should have you rate dialing the tree service. To begin with, amateurs and chainsaws rarely mix well. Then there’s the artwork of gauging where the tree will collapse — miss the mark, and it could strike a power line or crush a wing of your residence. And seeking to balance up high while you saw limbs off is an ER trip waiting to happen.
Dreamy Whites
9. Stripping old paint. Don’t take a chance with this one. Paint which goes from the late 1970s or earlier could include direct, and breathing in the dust since you scrape it off may lead to health issues. Protect yourself and your loved ones by turning the task over to a certified lead-abatement contractor.
Smith & Vansant Architects PC
10. Wood-burning chimney or stove installation. Fire security is the biggest concern, however this is a very complex job which requires an comprehension of special factors beyond the fireplace itself, such as insulating material. Attempt it yourself, and you are literally playing with fire. And you know what they say about that!
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