DIY projects have been trending for years mainly because they’re a great way to cut down labor costs. However, when not done well, the likely cost of repair works from damage will cost an arm and a leg.
For example, a 2019 ImproveNet survey discovered that 63% of Americans who carried out DIY projects regretted doing so. The survey found that people ignored safety tips or ended up carrying through with erroneous projects they had no expertise in. Indeed, it’s best to leave some things to professionals to handle, including those listed below.
Hire a Professional, These Are Not DIY Projects
Call in the experts, these jobs can go wrong if you don’t know what you are doing.
1 – Replacing your electrical panel
First and foremost, electricity is a vital energy element you shouldn’t overlook. Every year across the United States, the firefighting department handles a total of 44,880 fire incidents in homes. A simple thing like changing your light switch or swapping a light fixture isn’t a purely technical process; about 90% of Americans change burned-out light fixtures on their home.
However, something as complicated and technical as electric panel conversions isn’t a DIY project. You’ll be reducing the likelihood of a home fire when you allow licensed professionals to handle this for you. Besides a fire outbreak, there are risks of electrocution or code non-compliance that may land you in the emergency ward or jail, respectively.
2 – Installing pipes and plumbing
Plumbing is an intricate system of pipes, tanks, etc. that are responsible for your home’s water supply, among many other functions. Without a professional background in pipe installation and plumbing in general, you risk causing more harm to the system than you intended.
The dangers of DIY plumbing projects include the following:
- Burst pipelines
- Water leakage problems leading to mold formation
- Flooding
Although the list is endless, the three named above are the most common ones reported in the United States. According to Water Damage Advisor statistics, insurance companies paid out over $13 billion in damages to homes destroyed by water. Out of this sum, about 40% went out to DIY plumbing projects gone wrong, a reminder that some DIY plumbing projects have a high likelihood of turning out badly if not done by a professional.
3 – Replacing the drywall
Did you know that the fine dust from drywall may contain toxic elements that can irritate the lungs and eyes? Especially when it’s an old house, it may expose you to lead-containing paint chips. Apart from the health dangers drywalls pose, taking them down can result in pretty expensive structural damage. Some walls are erected to bear the weight of parts of the house. Therefore, without a background in architecture or masonry, you’d have caused irreparable damage to something that should have been minor work and incurred avoidable costs.
The Takeaway: These Tasks Are Not DIY Projects, Leave Them to the Pros
In conclusion, never allow the desire to save money to lure you into carrying out DIY projects you don’t know about. Besides the health risks these may pose, you stand a high chance of blowing a minor repair work into a major one. Allow professionals to handle what they’re licensed to do.
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
This blog celebrates all things home.
