When to DIY and when to call the professionals as a homeowner

As a homeowner, you have the freedom to change, decorate and build up the value of your home in any way you can put your mind to. While you may be able to DIY most of your home projects by YouTube-ing the steps online, don't be fooled by the shows you see on TV. The professionals on the home improvement shows have had years of experience and plenty of resources at their disposal.

But where do you have to draw the line? Let's explore when you should call in a professional for your next big home improvement project.

Projects to call in a professional

The urge to build your dream home from the ground up is a strong one, but there are many factors to consider before getting started. While it may not be a matter of ability, it is a matter of safety and skill level. The projects you should call a professional usually involve too many logistical hurdles and safety risks that a DIY-er should not approach without the help of a professional.

Heavy lifting

A severe injury is the last thing you need as you start home improvement. While this may be an obvious one to a lot of seasoned remodeling types, there could be a situation where you're so in the zone of the project that you underestimate the weight of something before lifting it. There's also the risk of successfully lifting something but then losing the grip and dropping it. Professionals are trained to handle these situations.

Advanced plumbing

While fixing a leaky faucet is one thing, installing an entirely new plumbing system for a renovated bathroom is different. Plumbing and electrical work are skills that professionals have spent years in tech schools to learn, and even longer in the field perfecting. Additionally, plumbing issues gone wrong can cost you thousands of dollars to fix — much more than you would have spent on professional work initially.

Electrical work

Similar to plumbing, electrical work can be not only tricky but dangerous. Online forums and YouTube cannot help you here. The risk is too deadly to try and do this part of home renovation on your own. Not only are you putting your own life at risk, but everyone else around you and those in your neighbourhood as well.

Structural work

When you're refinishing a kitchen, you can tear out all of the cabinets, and get a new refrigerator, dishwasher, composter, and so on. But when you're clearing land for a new building or an extension on your home, there is more to consider. The foundational work of your home can affect everything from lighting to the longevity and safety of your home. Keep in mind, structural work requires some heavy-duty equipment and machinery.

Not only can hiring a professional save you a lot of safety liability, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run as well. Find the perfect fixer-upper with Ray White Surfers Paradise real estate professionals.