Home improvement shows love to glorify doing it yourself as a way to save money and achieve a sense of satisfaction.
The truth is, you might be better off hiring professionals. The cost to hire someone may be less than what your lost time is worth, and if you do a poor job, you may end up hiring a professional anyway to fix your mistakes.
Jamie Curtis, a writer and publicist in Columbus, Ohio, has spent the last 10 years remodeling homes with her husband. She documents their projects at LivingtheDreamHouse.com.
She says a rookie mistake that even veteran remodelers make is overestimating their DIY abilities.
“Be realistic about your time constraints, especially if you have children,” she says.
That being said, there are several DIY projects Curtis says most homeowners can do if they have time and patience. These include demolition work, wallpaper removal, painting, replacing hardware and light fixtures, and refinishing woodwork or cabinetry.