Home Projects You Should Never Try to DIY

Removing chipped paint

Removing a little chipped paint from your baseboards may seem like a simple enough job, but it could cause serious health issues if you’re not careful. If your home was built before 1978—even if it’s been largely remodeled—there’s a good chance there is lead-based paint lurking somewhere, which can be poisonous when ingested or inhaled.

 Redoing your bathroom plumbing

You may be able to fix a leaky sink or running toilet yourself, but don’t attempt to demolish and rebuild your bathroom plumbing without getting a professional involved. “The plumbing and electric in a bathroom remodel are so close in proximity that it’s imperative you have the right person with the expertise,” says Scott.

Fixing roof shingles

While it may seem like no big deal to tack up a few missing shingles yourself, if you do so improperly, you’re setting your home up for major interior damage. According to home inspector Andrew Walton, owner of Common Concerns Home Inspections, a bad DIY job can cause “leaks into the attic, water draining behind siding instead of into the gutter, and will void any warranty from the manufacturer.”

Replacing your electrical panel

While having the appropriate electrical panel to cover your home’s energy needs may reduce your risk of a house fire, installing a new panel yourself is never a good idea. Dore notes there are risks of electrocution, code non-compliance, and safety concerns—like electrical fires—that come with bad DIY wiring jobs.

Finishing unfinished rooms

That unfinished attic may seem like a prime spot to add some framing and drywall, but similarly, if you’re not using a professional to handle the job, you could find yourself in serious trouble.

“If you don’t have architectural drawings with loads calculated by an engineer and a contractor with lots of experience, it’s a recipe for disaster,” says Ryan Masker, owner of Tandem Contracting. Doing so may even add too much weight to your home and potentially cause structural issues over time.

Drilling into walls

Hanging a TV stand seems simple enough—until you find yourself saddled with a much bigger repair, that is. When drilling for installation, “you may not know that wires and pipes run on the back of your wall,” says Harry H. Knowles, a home safety expert at home repair company Fantastic Services. He says amateurs can electrocute themselves, burst a pipe, or even cause a gas leak if they’re not careful.

Replacing windows

It may seem like a straightforward job, but making an error while replacing your windows could lead to major expenses down the line. “An amateur window installation may increase your energy bills,” says Knowles.