Home Exterior Repairs You Can DIY – and Which You Can’t

Are you one of the three in four American’s who’ve built up their DIY skills in the last few months? If so, you’re probably keen to take on some more challenges soon.

Perhaps it’s time you turned your attention toward a few of those home exterior repairs for a change.

Beware, some of the most important house exterior repairs need an expert touch. Read this before you grab your toolbox and head out.

Home Repairs You Can Try on Your Own

There are a few common exterior home repairs that are easy enough for the average homeowner to pull off without a hitch.

These include:

• Cleaning gutters if you’re comfortable on a ladder
• Installing adhesive weather-stripping on exterior doors
• Repairing the flooring on your deck
• Freshen up exterior paint chips
• Fix nail holes in siding with caulk

Exterior painting occupies the middle ground when it comes to home repairs. Technically, you can do it yourself. Be sure to follow all the paint manufacturers’ recommendations for preparing your walls first.

A painting contractor will do the job in half the time, provide a warranty, and probably do a better job. It’s your call.

Home Exterior Repairs You Shouldn’t DIY

Some damaged home repairs fall far beyond the scope of the average handyman. These tasks could endanger yourself or your family and might even require a license.

If your home needs any of the following repairs, rather call an expert contractor for assistance:

• Roofing Repairs

Working at height isn’t for the faint-hearted and it’s also dangerous. You could easily slip and fall off your roof and seriously injure yourself or even die.

If your roof needs work, always call an experienced and licensed roofing services company for assistance. 

• Siding Replacement

This is a big job and requires specialized experience. If you try to fix your siding yourself, you could expose yourself to harmful mold, or injure yourself if a piece falls off your home.

Besides, do you really have the experience to ensure you don’t leave any gaps behind? Can you guarantee your house will look better and not worse when you’re done?

• Anything Electrical

Electricity is a powerful and dangerous commodity. Beyond changing a lightbulb, leave it alone.

Always hire a qualified electrician to see to any re-wiring or electrical installation projects you have in mind. Apart from electrocuting yourself, if you make a mistake you could set off a chain of events that leads to a house fire.

• Plumbing Issues

You can easily fix a leaking exterior tap, but leave the major pipework to the pros. 

Your home’s plumbing links up to the entire neighborhood, so a mistake in this area could land you in hot water. If there’s a water leak outside the boundaries of your property, go through the correct channels to get it sorted out.

Home Improvements for Everyone

Major home exterior repairs can cause big problems if you get them wrong. Rather focus your newly acquired DIY skills on the interior of your home.

Why not browse my blog instead for more ideas on safe DIY interior improvements?