If you’re thinking about starting a home renovation project, we’re pretty sure you’re excited. Making any changes to the interior or exterior of your home is something many homeowners look forward to. 

You may want to take on a home renovation to save money or maybe you’re looking to build on your already existing skills. However, when it comes down to getting out the hammer and nails, there are just some projects that should be left to the professionals. 

Here are our suggestions for projects that you shouldn’t take on yourself.

Seven renovation projects that you should leave to a professional

1- Roof work: the dangers of working at heights

When it comes to working on the roof in any capacity, it’s probably better to leave this job to the professionals for a number of reasons. If only a few shingles or tiles need to be changed, then with the help of a spotter you could definitely do this job yourself. However, if the problem is of a larger scale, it’s definitely better to wait and call a professional. 

To begin, an experienced contractor will understand and know the proper installation techniques as well as the way to work with different roofing materials including asphalt shingles, steel, and so forth.  

On top of this, a contractor will know how to work safely. Since working on a roof involves heights, taking on the job without experience is a safety hazard. Working with a professional essentially guarantees that the risk of injury will be lowered falls while increasing the chances that the final result will satisfy your expectations. 

Plus, you’re looking for your roof to be sturdy and long-lasting, thus there is no better guarantee of this happening than when working with a professional.

Find a roofing expert here

2- Masonry: why you should not DIY brickwork

Although it might seem simple or look easy to lay stone or brick in the hopes of building a wall, masonry should be left up to a professional as it requires the expertise of a professional mason. A professional mason will be able to ensure a perfect, durable, and solid brick or stone alignment, a very complicated and difficult task for a novice.

Not only will they understand the proper approach but masons will help you choose the right material for your home, bricks, concrete, stone, etc. In most cases, self-realized masonry work results in unaligned bricks and perpendicular walls. 

Not only does this look unsightly, but masonry work that’s been completed incorrectly will be compromised. Therefore, for both the sake and safety of the structure as well as the aesthetic value, it’s best to work with a professional.

Find a masonry expert here

3-  Electricity: dangers, laws and regulations

Changing a light bulb doesn’t require an electrician, but installing the light fixture does. Regardless of the renovation project, if electrical wires need to be manipulated, changed or tampered with, working with an electrician is mandatory. 

It’s first important to mention that in most cities and municipalities, it’s illegal to complete electrical work yourself. Secondly, electricians will understand all the electrical norms that are currently in effect in your home as well as the surrounding area, understanding how to safely manipulate dangerous electrical components.

A licensed electrician will also know how to optimize the electrical network to prevent sudden power surges or fires. Without their expertise, you may damage your electrical network and even risk electrocution. This is a job where there’s too much space for something to go wrong.

Find an electrician here

4- Plumbing: why hiring an expert is essential

It should come as no surprise that a plumber is an expert on pipes. Thanks to the knowledge they have garnered over the years, they’re able to optimize your plumbing network and can work on complicated water and pipe related renovation projects. 

This can include moving a bathroom or even just moving the shower, bathtub or toilet from one side of the room to another. In some more luxurious cases, this could even mean installing a hot tub in the middle of a master bedroom.

There are definitely certain plumbing projects that won’t necessitate a professional, and this will include things such as installing a new shower in the same place as the old one. However, in some municipalities, taking on any form of plumbing work without a professional is illegal. 

As with all renovation projects, it’s important to do a bit of research regarding the legalities and so forth. We are recommending that you call a plumber to prevent mistakes that could lead to serious consequences in the future including water damage, mould and mildew growth.

Find a plumber here

5- Demolishing walls: a project that leaves no room for mistakes

Although it may be very tempting to knock down a wall by yourself, you need to be extra careful with demolition projects. Knocking down a load-bearing wall means a lot of other things will come down with it! 

Since your entire house's structure is supported by these walls, it’s extremely important to keep them up or while working on them, to replace them with something else that can fill the same task. This is generally columns or pillars.

Load bearing walls are quite hard to identify, even with an architectural plan. Therefore, they need to be properly identified and removed by professional contractors.  

If the wall you want to tear down is not a load bearing wall, you should be able to take on the demolition yourself. Otherwise, you’ll need a general contractor. Check out our article safety measures to consider during demolitions.

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6- Installing or repairing windows and doors: where mistakes can have a major impact on the home's environment

It may seem initially easy to install doors and windows but this task can actually be quite difficult. If incorrectly done, you may end up improperly sealing them. If doors and windows allow excess air and water to enter your house, this will create long-term issues. Not only will your home be significantly less comfortable, but your energy bills will skyrocket!

As with all of the other mentioned projects, don’t risk doing this work yourself.  Instead, we are suggesting you get in touch with door and window experts. Although it may be more expensive initially, at least you’ll have a perfect result and you'll save money in the long run.

Find door and window contractors here

7- Renovation projects that involve expensive materials

If you ordered marble from Italy for your bathroom or spent a fortune on quartz for your kitchen countertop, it would truly be a waste to damage them by trying to install them yourself! When you invest a lot of money on materials, the best thing to do would be to let professionals install them instead. 

Rookie mistakes should be avoided and could end up costing you more than you’ve already paid. It’s definitely not worth taking the risk to complete skilled or delicate projects yourself.