Do It Yourself Projects, or DIY is a favorite pastime of any homeowner. With just an idea, some elbow grease, you can transform your home all by yourself. 

While a DIY project is a great way to save money, it could cost you big! While we all want to transform our home, some projects you should leave to the professionals. 

Itching to start a project, but don’t know where to start? Follow this guide to figure out when to DIY or when to call in a Pro!

Kitchen

Kitchens are where holiday dishes and treasured memories are created, so it’s no wonder that everyone wants to have a beautiful kitchen! This DIY is an easy way to upgrade the functionality of your kitchen. 

DIY – Refurbishing Cabinets

This easy project can easily add value and functionality to your kitchen. By refurbishing or even just refinishing your cabinets you can easily add value to your kitchen. 

Here are some ways you can easily refurbish your cabinets:

• Painting Cabinets
• Replacing Cabinet Shelves
• Replace Cabinet Doors
• Updating Cabinet Hardware

Updating your cabinets is a great DIY project anyone can do. With a paintbrush and a screwdriver, you can easily make some changes to improve your kitchen.

With a screwdriver, you can make a huge improvement to your cabinets. Squeaky doors or uneven shelves can take away the functionality of a cabinet. By replacing your hardware such as door handles, and hinges, you can improve your kitchen. Additionally replacing the doors or the shelves can be a fast and easy way to improve your cabinets. 

The easiest way to improve your kitchen is with a paintbrush. With a fresh coat of paint, you can have bright like-new cabinets that improve the look of your cabinets. If you want a new look for your kitchen – it might be time to try colored cabinets, a fresh white, or a classic wood lacquer.

These small projects can make a major difference to the look and function of your kitchen, without a professional. 

When To Call A Pro: Electrical Work

Water and power should not mix. We all want a beautiful kitchen but it’s important to stay safe when taking on any project. That is why if you are making any changes with electrical equipment, call a professional. 

Kitchens can be dangerous to work on because of plumbing and electrical, that is why a kitchen electrical DIY can cause serious problems! No matter if you are adding new lights, outlets, or appliances, it’s important to call a professional and make sure the changes are safe! 

Bathroom

The one room in a home that you can say is used every day. So this is a great chance to try your hand at DIY. This DIY is a great way to drastically improve your bathroom, and have a beautiful vanity!

DIY: Frame A Mirror

With a clean framed mirror you can easily improve the look of your bathroom. This DIY only takes a few minutes!

Framing a mirror is a cheap and easy project that requires measuring tape, glue, or a screwdriver. You can buy premade kits to frame your mirror, or truly customize by cutting and painting your own frame. 

You may find that your current bathroom mirror is chipped or scratched around the edges, which can be easily covered by a frame (if measured correctly). If your mirror needs to be replaced you can remove your cracked mirror with a new framed mirror as well. 

When To Call A Pro: Tiling Your Shower

Tiling a shower is best left to the professional. Tiling a shower is a great way to showcase your personality and really personalize your space. There are endless options for color, shape, size, and materials. By hiring a pro, you can have peace of mind that your shower is properly water-sealed. 

This large project if done incorrectly can lead to major home issues. Tiling your shower is not a quick project, and if done improperly can cause water damage. By hiring an experienced contractor you can ensure that the tiles are installed properly and that your shower is not leaky!

Living Room

Living rooms are one of the best rooms for DIY. Living rooms are perfect for statement pieces or testing trends on large blank walls. There are endless ways you can improve your living room with the latest trends or improvements for better use of your space.

Often living rooms have large walls which are perfect for a statement piece. One of the fastest and easiest ways to DIY a statement wall is with wallpaper!

DIY: Wallpaper

Wallpaper is easy and fast to install. All it takes to properly install is prepping your walls and some careful measuring. With the right measurements, you can have perfectly laid wallpaper. 

Often people will lay wallpaper from the top to the bottom of their wall to ensure an even look. By finding the midpoint you can measure a full strip of paper that is centered before hanging your second piece of paper. 

The key to perfect wallpaper is to find and start at the midpoint of your wall. Measure the length and width of your wall, and divide by two to find where you should hand your first piece of wallpaper. By working from the midpoint you can ensure that your focal point of the room looks fabulous. 

Steps To Hang Wallpaper:

• Prep Your Walls: Ensure your walls are clean and smooth. Be sure to sand or smooth over any bumps or even sections of your wall. Remove any outlet covers or light switches from your wall before you lay your first piece of paper. 
• Measure: Measure the length and width of your walls to find the midpoint of a wall you want to hang wallpaper on. Your length of wallpaper strips should equal the height of your wall plus 4 inches (to trip after you hang.)
• Prep: Before you hang the paper use a paint roller to roll the back of the paper. This will activate the glue and make for an easier hang. 
• Hang: Hang the strip of paper (with a two-inch overlap to your ceiling. Gently place the paper on the wall and ensure it is even to the midpoint line you drew. From here smooth the paper out and work your way towards the bottom, smoothing out any bubbles or seams. Assure that your first piece is laying perfectly straight and is even. 
• Trim: Trim the excess paper from the top and bottom of your paper, and for any outlets or switchplates for your wall. Measure for your second piece of paper to align with your first, and repeat the steps. 

Wallpaper is a fast and easy way to transform a room and make a statement. If you are ready to try a new look, wallpaper is a great project for a living room!

When To Call A Pro: Structural Changes (Removing Walls)

Sometimes rooms need to improve their layout in order to optimize the flow and use of a room. Cramped or blocky rooms can be hard to work with, so in some cases, structural work should be done to optimize your home layout. 

You should always call in professional work for any structural work to be done to your home. By using a professional you can assure that you don’t cause permanent or dangerous structural issues to a home. 

If you are considering removing a wall, always call a professional to ensure that the wiring, plumbing, and structure will not cause major damage to your special home. A professional will also be able to advise how to make changes to remove a wall to ensure no load-bearing walls are damaged in the process. 

If you want to remove a wall from your home, always call a professional to ensure it is done safely. 

Summary

Many homeowners love taking a hands-on approach to beautify their homes. Not all house projects are made equal, and some projects are better left to the professionals. 

Here Is When To DIY And When To Call In A Pro: 

• Kitchen:
  • DIY – Refurbishing Cabinets
  • When To Call A Pro: Electrical Work
• Bathroom: 
  • DIY: Frame A Mirror
  • When To Call A Pro: Tiling Your Shower
• Living Room: 
  • DIY: Wallpaper
  • When To Call A Pro: Structural Changes (Removing Walls)

What is your next DIY?

About the Author: Catherine Way is the Marketing Manager at Prime Plus Mortgages: Hard Money Lenders, a hard money lender and note provider for real estate investors.