Are you looking for the right professionals to complete your next home repair? When the job is too big to DIY, turn to The Renovation Directory to connect with the right contractors.
Your home is an investment. However, it takes more than time for that investment to grow. If you want your home’s value to appreciate, you need to keep it in good repair.
Home maintenance is more changing the air filter every once in a while and fixing leaky faucets, however. To truly reap the rewards of their investment, homeowners must account for repairs that not only maintain but improve their home’s condition.
From the experts at The Renovation Directory, here’s what you need to know about keeping your home in tip-top shape.
3 Reasons to Make Home Repairs
Wear and Tear
Your home is full of mechanical and structural components that wear out over time. Furnaces, water heaters, and siding have limited lifespans that may be shorter than the time you own your home. Repairing and replacing aging components keeps your home comfortable and livable.
Remodeling
While some repairs maintain a home’s value, others improve it. Whether that’s upgrading aging fixtures and appliances or making cosmetic updates like fresh paint and new sod, renovations make your home a more pleasant place to live and boost its value.
Selling a Home
Repairs are also important when selling a home. Even if a repair isn’t urgent, it may impact your home’s market value. For many sellers, low-cost repairs like painting, refinishing cabinets, replacing crumbling grout, and other minor fixes more than pay off upon selling the home. Even more expensive repairs like new carpet and windows can be worth the ROI for sellers.
Should You DIY Home Repairs?
There are some repairs every homeowner should know how to do themselves. Learning how to fix a squeaky door, stop a toilet from running, or patch a small hole in drywall saves homeowners money without requiring specialized skills or expensive tools.
In addition to these simple repairs, more experienced DIY-ers can tackle these projects with minimal risk:
- Interior painting.
- Caulking and grouting.
- Fixing a faucet drip.
- Unclogging a garbage disposal.
- Replacing a showerhead.
- Cleaning gutters.
- Sealing air leaks.
While there’s a chance these projects won’t go as planned, a mistake won’t cause permanent or costly damage to your home. However, that’s not true of every home repair.
5 Repairs You Should Never DIY
Some jobs are simply best left to the professionals. Whether due to the risk of injury or damage to your home, these are five kinds of repairs homeowners should never DIY.
Major Renovations
Home improvement TV shows make remodeling look fun, but there’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears shed behind the scenes. Not only might you not get the results you want from a DIY remodel, but major renovations frequently uncover bigger problems. Without the eye of a trained professional, you might overlook issues in need of repair, costing you more down the line.
Structural Work
Structural repairs are another no-go for the majority of homeowners. Mistakes in structural repairs threaten the integrity of your home and, in turn, its value. This could be demolishing a wall you didn’t realize was load-bearing or patching floor, wall, or ceiling cracks not realizing they’re indicative of bigger foundation issues.
Electrical Repairs
Electrical repairs often seem simple, but wiring is more dangerous than it looks. Not only do DIY electrical repairs come with a risk of injury, but faulty wiring is a major fire risk. When it comes to electrical work, a licensed electrician is worth the cost.
Tree Removal
It’s true that you could remove a large and problematic tree yourself, but from a safety standpoint, it’s best to work with a tree removal service. These professionals have the necessary tools and equipment to safely fell a tree. Survey online review sites to look for local contractors in your area, and read customer reviews before hiring a licensed tree removal service to ensure the job is done right.
Plumbing
DIY plumbing repairs aren’t as likely to lead to personal injury, but they can still pose problems. Improperly done plumbing can lead to clogs, pressure issues, and flooding. If it’s more complicated then unclogging a drain or fixing a leaky faucet with basic tools, call a licensed plumber.
About the Author:
Patrick Young is an educator and activist. He believes people with disabilities must live within a unique set of circumstances–the outside world often either underestimates them or ignores their needs altogether. He created Able USA to offer helpful resources to people with disabilities and to provide advice on navigating various aspects of life as a person with disabilities.
