Oftentimes, it’s fairly obvious what a DIY job is and what requires a call to experienced contractors to handle it safely.
It’s important to know your limits as a homeowner, as a botched DIY project will see money thrown away – and even more money spent or redoing the job.
With that being said, there are homeowners themselves can do some home improvements that you might be surprised to discover.
These jobs skew towards the more advanced side of DIY, and can require a good amount of patience – but can be perfect for the keen home improver looking for a new challenge.
As always, it’s important to factor in the scale and the specifics of your home, but generally speaking, here are five advanced home improvements that you can do yourself.
Installing new radiators
While you may assume that installing any heating equipment falls squarely under a heating engineer’s domain, installing radiators can be quite straightforward.
Installing a radiator involves working with heating systems and pipes. If you are replacing a like-for-like size, it should be a case of simply installing your radiator in line with the guidance that your product comes with.
Even more complex stylish options like column radiators should be able to be installed so long as the piping lines up – so it’s just a case of buying the right product.
However, if you are brand new to working with heating equipment, it is worth consulting with a professional to get guidance on local regulations, and safety tips.
Laying flooring
There are lots of flooring options available on the market now that are very easy to install,as long as you have the time to lay it all.
For example modern laminate flooring installation is actually more akin to a huge jigsaw than laying traditional hardwood flooring.
Adding coving to a room
Modern polystyrene coving looks as good as plaster coving and is incredibly easy to cut, install and paint.
It can be picked up from most popular home suppliers and can really finish off a room.
If you get yourself a miter box, it can even be applied in more complex areas like bay windows.
Replacing water appliances
Water appliances, like heating, more often than not rely on infrastructure that is already there.
With that in mind, getting new taps, hoses, and even equipment like washing machines set up is essentially a plug-in-and-go scenario.
Again, if piping does not match up, or if there are historic issues with water pressure – it may be worth at least consulting a professional.
Installing a new backsplash
Sticking to the kitchen (in this case, literally), you can add peel-and-stick tiles offering a no-mess, no-grout solution for updating the area around your sink.
They’re easy to cut to size and apply, giving your space a polished look in a single afternoon.
When to call in the pros
The best skill a DIYer can have is knowing when it’s time to call in the pros.
Generally, when the risk while installing exceeds bruises and scratches, and the risk after the project exceeds a product that doesn’t work or a space that doesn’t look great – call a pro.
Load bearing, awkward space work that involves wires, new piping and other complex additions is best carried out by an experienced contractor.
Aside from that, happy DIYing!
