5 Exterior Home Renovations You Shouldn't Do Yourself

Did you know that Americans plan on spending over $327 billion on home remodels and exterior home renovations this year?

Staggering, isn’t it?

It’s normal (and fun!) to want to spruce up your home. Remodeling allows you to show off your individual taste and style. It’s also a great way to improve the property value of your home if you want to sell in the near future.

However, it’s important to know what you can DIY and what you should leave up to the professionals.

Home renovations, while exciting, can be dangerous or simply disastrous for homeowners. Don’t take on an individual DIY project that you’ll later regret.

Let’s get into the top 5 exterior home renovations you should leave to the pros!

Roof Replacement

Imagine this scene. You are several stories up the ground and likely doing labor that maybe you watched from an amateur Youtube tutorial.

What could go wrong? Well, your life for one.

If you’re looking to save a few dollars (and who isn’t), we assure you that roof replacement is not the place to do it.

Here’s why. Professional roofers know how to actually work, maneuver, and replace a roof. They also know how to stay safe in ways that you (and Youtube) don’t. How many times have you done work on your own roof? Chances are, the answer is once, twice, or never.

A reliable roofing contractor knows how to do the job correctly. They also know how to detect for mold, provide proper ventilation, and achieve the aesthetic look you want.

Best of all? They know how to maneuver on large heights and bend in awkward angles when using a ladder. Can you say the same?

New Windows

Sometimes, upgrading the windows can make a huge, sparkling difference on the aesthetic appeal of your home. This is especially true if you live in an older property, as dirt, grime, and general age can “wear out” the appearance of your windows.

Replacing existing windows with new designs seems like a money-saving breeze. In reality, it’s one of those incredibly complicated exterior home renovations. For that reason, it’s not something recommended to go it alone.

Many windows actually require custom measuring and sizing. This is because most window manufacturers only produce their glass in certain dimensions.

Furthermore, specialized pros know how to quickly modify and seal the glass into place. Learning to do this on your own is both complicated and hazardous.

Consider this: is it worth saving a few bucks to have glass shatter all over you?

Also, consider this: is it worth all the time and hassle to measure, place, and seal the windows only to be a few centimeters off? You can’t have that happen!

Decks & Porches

Are you finally getting around to building your dream house?

You probably know that curb appeal matters. What looks more inviting than a beautiful porch or deck in your yard? Just you, your rocking chairs, and a beautiful scenic view.

Again, this may seem like a fairly straightforward home project to complete. In reality, it’s incredibly labor-intensive and difficult!

Professional deck builders, like Decks & Docks Lumber Company, tend to work at faster and more efficient paces. They also understand all the little errors and risks and things that can go wrong on a routine basis. Professionals can help you transform the visions in your mind to an actual reality — without the headaches and mental agony of doing it yourself.

Also, it’s important to note that doing-it-yourself may actually cost you more. That’s because you likely don’t have the appropriate deck materials, framing equipment, and tools on hand. That’s not mentioning if you make mistakes along the way. As you know in home remodeling, mistakes only end up costing you money.

Don’t worry- the pros have this covered. You’ll be in that rocking chair watching the sunset in no time at all!

Outdoor Electrical Work

Trying to get some lighting for your outdoors? Want to install a breezy ceiling fan outside your outdoor dining table? Got a cool idea around your swimming pool?

There’s a real risk of any amateur electrical work, and we don’t just mean headaches and annoyance. We mean scary things, like you know, fatal electrocution.

As a basic rule of thumb, it’s best to avoid any electric work altogether. You may not understand wiring. Or, even if you think you have a grip on wiring, the wires in your home may be old and faulty.

Changing a lightbulb? Sure, go on right ahead. But doing any electrical outlet work? Best to outsource the pros. Your life simply isn’t worth the risk.

Projects Requiring a Permit

Both interior and exterior remodeling jobs can require permits, depending on the type of project. If you don’t understand this process (and there’s no reason you should), avoid going at this alone.

First of all, skipping the permit process is a terrible idea. It’s against the law and your project can get entirely shut down if you get caught.

What’s worse? Even if you “get away” with doing work without a permit, you risk facing a host of complex problems when trying to sell the house. That’s because any home seller must disclose all permitted and unpermitted work done on the property.

Many buyers are hesitant to purchase properties with unpermitted work. We don’t blame them! Who wants to risk buying potentially shoddy, faulty, or cheap work?

Check with your city permitting laws for anything involving changing the footprints of the home, adding fences or additional rooms, and updating wiring.

Even if it seems expensive to outsource, your wallet will likely thank you once you actually try to sell the home.