Maintaining a home can be expensive; on average, homeowners spend more than a thousand dollars a month on typical upkeep.
If you’re handy you may be able to save money by tackling some issues yourself, but there are a few home repairs you should never do on your own.
Sometimes, an expert really is required and trying to fix the problem yourself could make things worse. It becomes a waste of time and money since you end up calling outside help much farther down the road.
No matter how confident you are in your ability, there are some repairs better left to more practiced hands.
Below, we’re taking a look at five times when it’s worth it to call a professional for your home repair needs.
What Are Some Home Repairs You Should Never Do On Your Own?
1. Electrical Repairs
On the top of the list of home repairs you should never do on your own is electrical work. It can be impossible to know what state your wires are in before you start an electrical job. What you find may be dangerous to tackle without the proper equipment or know-how.
Changing a light bulb or swapping out a light fixture may be within the DIY realm, but for anything more complicated, you should play it safe and call in a pro.
2. Basement Renovations
A finished basement is a great selling point for any home, but it’s not a project you should take on yourself. Digging out a basement could have disastrous results if done incorrectly. It can lead to walls collapsing or even your entire house falling down around you.
Basement work can impact the structure of your entire home, which is why it’s an area of home repair that you should never attempt yourself.
3. Gutter Installation
Because of the work that gutters do to keep water from damaging the foundation of your home, installing them correctly is essential. Incorrectly installed gutters may result in much more significant–and much more expensive–repair work down the road.
To get it right the first time, call in an expert. You may also want to consider a professional cleaning system, like a gutter guard, which can extend the life of your gutters, improve their function, and save you from having to clean them yourself.
4. Plumbing Work
Plumbing issues can lead to some pretty unpleasant situations, which may be why so many people want to get to work fixing it themselves.
Before you do, take a second to imagine what would happen if your plumbing backup or pipe leak got worse. A small drip can become major water damage before you know it.
To keep small plumbing problems small–and to get larger plumbing issues fixed correctly–you should always call in an expert.
5. Repairs Involving Your Gas Line
When gas appliances go on the fritz or work needs to be done to your gas line, you always want to leave the job to a professional.
Similar to electrical work, gas repairs gone wrong can be dangerous, especially if you run into something you’ve never seen before. Being without gas is inconvenient and hiring an expert might delay the repair work, but it will always be worth it in the long run.
Want to Find Experts to Tackle the Home Repairs You Should Never Do on Your Own?
Even once you know which home repairs you need experts for, it can be difficult to find the right professionals to bring in for the job.
You want someone who will be reliable and is truly an expert in their field. As we’ve outlined, this isn’t work for amateurs.
For information on hiring the right professionals for your home repairs, please browse our resources.