By Amos Faulkner March 20th, 2022
Reviewed and edited by Burak Aydin
Fact checked by Burak Aydin
Updated September 20th, 2023
Discover which home improvement projects are safe for DIY enthusiasts and when it's essential to call a professional. Explore easy DIY ideas for refreshing your living spaces, kitchen, bathroom, home office, and boosting curb appeal. Avoid dangerous DIY mistakes with expert advice from Servicebly. Save money wisely and safeguard your home's value
Everyone loves a good DIY project. You get a certain satisfaction from building
something with your own hands. However, some homeowners end up over their heads when attempting a home improvement project beyond their ability. This leads to high costs and dangerous situations for homeowners. Still, luckily, with these tips presented by Servicebly, it’s easy to know which home improvements are safe to DIY and when to call a professional.
Home improvements anyone can DIY
Do you have the itch to refresh your home’s look but barely know your way around a toolbox? These quick and easy cosmetic updates are so simple anyone can do them.
Living Areas
Accent walls make a room pop, but you don’t need to be an artist to punch your home’s personality. Not only are there hundreds of designs and textures, but two people easily install modern peel-and-stick wallpaper. It’s even repositionable and removable, making this a 100% beginner-friendly project.
Kitchen & Bathroom
New cabinet hardware is the fastest way to bring a dated kitchen or bathroom into the modern era. As long as you choose hardware with the exact screw alignment, all this project requires is a screwdriver and hardware in your style of choice.
Tile work isn’t for the faint of heart, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with your backsplash.
Adhesive vinyl, beadboard, and peel-and-stick tile are three no-fuss tile backsplashes.
Home Office
Creating a dedicated workspace or home office is a relatively easy project you can do yourself. From installing shelving to painting the walls a cheerful color, you can have a functional home office up and running in a weekend or two. However, keep in mind that if you need to do any rewriting on your office to make it more functional, you’ll need to call in a pro for that job.
Curb Appeal
The best way to spruce up a home is with elbow grease. Rent a power washer from a home improvement store to clean patios, driveways, decks, and other outdoor surfaces. Just choose the correct pressure and nozzle for the job to avoid damage.
Projects for the novice do-it-yourselfer
Say you have a little experience under your belt and are ready to try your handiwork at something more challenging. These home improvement projects put your skills to the test without risking your wallet.
Living Areas
Interior painting requires more know-how than adhesive wallpaper, but as long as you use the suitable primer, avoid lap marks, and don’t let the paint dry out, you can achieve good results at a low price.
Kitchen & Bathroom
After updating your kitchen’s look, upgrade its functionality with pullout shelving. Craft your wooden cabinet pullouts or purchase store-bought pullouts for an out-of-the-box solution. Choose ball-bearing slides for the smoothest roll and durability.
Curb Appeal
DIY hardscaping includes projects like patios, pathways, edging, and stacked stone walls. While homeowners should stay away from hardscaping projects that affect a home’s drainage, there are plenty of decorative landscape ideas to keep occupied.
Projects and repairs you should never DIY
There are some projects homeowners shouldn’t tackle no matter how experienced they are:
Electrical and gas repairs, structural work, and plumbing top the list of projects homeowners should never attempt to DIY. Only licensed contractors should complete these home improvements due to the danger involved.
The risks of water, fire, and mold restoration may be less apparent, but they’re no less dangerous. Always hire a certified restoration company dealing with smoke, mold, sewage, and other environmental contaminants.
There are plenty of perfectly safe improvements that homeowners are wise to avoid. Installing flooring, refinishing cabinets, and finishing a basement are three more trouble projects than they’re worth.
Instead of attempting to handle jobs outside of your wheelhouse, contact experts like Servicebly to ensure those tasks are handled professionally.
The Price Tag
One of the biggest reasons homeowners opt for a DIY approach is to cut costs. And while this is a great attitude, know that you have options for paying for updates and repairs. The ideal choice is to set aside a home emergency fund, usually 10% per year of your home’s worth, that you can turn to for specific issues. For significant repairs or upgrades your fund won’t cover, refinancing your mortgage is another option. This allows you to tap into your home’s equity to cover the necessary costs. With interest rates so low right now, this can be a great choice, significantly if whatever you do enhances the value of your home.
Doing it yourself is a smart way to save money on home improvements, but there’s nothing clever about putting yourself in harm’s way. Instead of attempting DIY repairs that could cause injury to you or your home, find pros to get the job done. When you hire a fully licensed and bonded contractor, you can repair your home while preserving your health.
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