Sometimes, a do-it-yourself (DIY) project can be a lot of fun. Painting the walls or planting some flowers or shrubs around your property can make your home look a lot better and give you a sense of accomplishment. While some projects are easy enough to do and are relatively low-stakes, others are best left to the professionals. Many home repairs you should never do yourself because they are complicated enough to require a professional’s touch or because they can cause serious damage to a property if they aren’t performed correctly.
If you are wondering if you should do home renovations yourself, it helps to ask if the project involves anything that supports your home, that could cause a fire or that could lead to a leak. If the answer is yes, you’re usually better off skipping the DIY and hiring home renovators or a contractor instead. Here are a few DIY don’ts.
1. Window Additions or Replacements
You can’t help but think that adding a window to one of your home’s rooms would really brighten it up, making it feel more open or airy. Although installing a window might seem like a simple enough project, there is a lot that’s riding on it. When you add a window to a room, you need to cut out a part of the wall. Some of the walls in your home are more important than others. They provide support to the floors above and keep the ceiling or roof from caving in. You don’t want to remove part of a support wall and put the structural integrity of your home at risk.
Another reason to hire someone to add a new window to your home is that the project typically requires permits. A professional contractor is going to know what permits to pull and the process of getting those permits. If you try to DIY, you might not get the appropriate permits, leading to trouble.
Even though a window replacement might seem like a simpler project than adding a new window, it is still one that’s best left to the pros. Replacing a window requires some knowledge of carpentry and specialized tools, which the average homeowner might not have. Depending on the location of the windows, it might also require climbing to a considerable height. To make sure the new windows are installed properly and to reduce the risk of accidental injury, it’s a smart idea to work with an experienced window installer.
2. Roof Repairs
Your home’s roof has a critical job to do. It keeps rain and snow from getting into your home and provides shelter for your family. Even if the repair your roof needs seems small and like a quick fix, your best option is to hire a professional roofer to take care of it. You don’t want to risk damaging your roof in some way, as doing so could create a leak or otherwise affect its structural integrity.
There’s another reason to avoid DIY roofing projects: safety. Even if you have a single-story home, getting up on the roof requires climbing a ladder or using scaffolding. Once on the roof, you need to make sure you don’t slip or lose your balance. Roofing is dangerous even for people who know what they are doing. Many roofers wear personal fall arrest systems, which are designed to catch or break their fall if they slip. The average homeowner doesn’t have such equipment and isn’t likely to have the proper training on how to use it.
If you think there is something up with your roof, a professional roofer can take a look at it and let you know whether it’s a good idea to make repairs or to replace the roof entirely.
3. Siding Installation
Replacing the siding on the exterior of your home usually helps to boost its resale value considerably. Often, homeowners who replace the siding on their homes can recoup about 75% of the project’s cost when they sell.
The siding on your home provides protection, keeping out moisture, insects and rodents. It also affects your home’s appearance. When installed properly, siding can make your home look fantastic while also ensuring that it is protected and secure. When it’s not installed properly, water may seep underneath the siding, causing damage to the structure of your home. For that reason, installing or replacing siding is a project you want to leave to the pros.
Another reason for leaving siding installation to the professionals is that the project is more complicated and difficult than it might first appear. The siding needs to be installed in a way that keeps moisture and cold out and leaves no gaps or spaces for pests to get in. A professional installer will know how to attach the material to your home and how to work it around window openings and corners so there are no openings.
A professional siding contractor will also know what permits they need to get for the project and the process and timeline needed to get those permits.
4. Bathroom or Kitchen Remodeling
While you might be comfortable making small updates to your kitchen or bathroom, such as replacing the knobs on cabinets or drawers or installing a new shower curtain, more extensive renovations or remodeling projects are usually things best left to pro remodelers.
One of the big reasons to avoid DIY-ing a kitchen or bathroom renovation is that such projects often involve extensive amounts of plumbing updates or repairs. Even something as simple as updating the pipes or installing a new faucet can be troublesome if not done right. The faucet or pipes can leak, damaging the walls or floors of your home. More extensive plumbing projects, such as relocating a sink or toilet, can be particularly tricky for the average homeowner to try on their own.
5. Door Installations
Upgrading the door to your home, particularly to a steel model, is another project that tends to have a high resale value when it’s time to sell your home. To make sure you’re getting the most from your door installation or replacement, it’s a smart idea to hire a professional to do the work. Even making small mistakes while installing a new door can lead to issues, such as the door sticking or not closing or latching properly. If a door isn’t hung properly, air can leak into the home around it, increasing your energy bills.
Hire Brothers Aluminum for Your Home Improvement Projects
If you want to spruce up the appearance of your home, get it ready for sale or generally improve it, you don’t have to do it alone. Brothers Aluminum has been helping homeowners across Long Island, the five boroughs, Westchester County and in areas of Connecticut improve their homes for more than 40 years. Our specialties include siding, roofing, window and door replacements and remodeling. Tell us about your project today and we’ll work with you to make sure it’s a success.
