Just because you watch a lot of HGTV doesn’t mean you should take on a home improvement project yourself. While doing the work yourself can be cost-effective, you could end up with costly mistakes and nearly fatal injuries. Home improvement projects aren’t as easy as they look. Before you put on your tool belt and hard hat, here are some DIY projects you should avoid, according to Jason McLaughlan.
1 – Electrical Work
Electrical work is extremely dangerous and shouldn’t be handled by amateurs. While most electrical issues can be resolved with the flip of a switch, that’s not the case with wiring that needs to be replaced. If you attack the electrical work by yourself without receiving the proper training, you’ll end up getting shocked.
Even if you avoid getting electrocuted, your electrical work can cause a house fire. Anything that doesn’t involve changing a light bulb should be handled by a licensed electrician. Don’t do electrical work by yourself. Ever.
2 – Garage Door Repair
Fixing your garage door may seem easy, but it’s something that can’t be done with the tools lying around your house. It’s not an affordable or easy fix. The required tools for this project aren’t the ones you commonly use. In addition, attempting to repair your garage door can result in injury. You don’t want to get smacked in the forehead by your own garage door.
That’s just some of the things that can happen during DIY garage door repair. You might end up with the wrong parts or correct the wrong issue. Or, your heavy garage door could end up crashing down. This is a project you shouldn’t attempt at all.
3 – Installing a Glass Door
This project is just as dangerous as installing a garage door. Just because you ordered a pre-cut glass door at the home improvement store doesn’t mean you should install it yourself. This glass is extremely heavy, which makes it hard to manage and install. Installation problems could cause you to walk on broken glass or to get severely cut.
4 – Structural Repair
If your bathroom project is more work than you imagined, that’s when you’ll want to call the professionals. Do you need to remove a wall? Do you need to expand a room? Do you have to change the layout of a room? A professional can walk you through the process, like whether your structure can support such a project.
Investing in this project can save you money and headaches in the end. Jason McLaughlan says that most structural changes that are done by amateurs can lead to costly expenses down the road.
5 – Tiling Work
While tiling materials are affordable, but the labor involved is expensive. Many homeowners have tried to avoid hiring a professional by installing the tiles themselves. Even some of the most affordable professionals can install your tiling quickly and easily. If you end up doing it yourself, you’ll end up with leaks and holes. If you’re still tempted to DIY, there are plenty of projects you can occupy yourself with such as changing the drawers, painting, and changing the faucets and shower heads.
6 – Roof Repair
Imagine that you notice something wrong with your roof, so you get up on the ladder and attempt to fix it yourself. The next thing you know, you fall off the roof and end up in the emergency room. Working on a roof is not only dangerous, but it can be life-threatening. It’s hard to work on a roof since it’s slanted in design.
Since you’re working at an awkward angle, you’ll never get the work done right. You’ll just end up with wasted time, effort, and materials. The job may look fine at first until a gust of wind takes it away. If you make a mistake, then your insurance company won’t cover it.
Professional contracters make a living by providing with these services. They also prevent DIY projects from going wrong. Once you find someone who correct or save a DIY project, you’ll sleep better at night.
