Start with safety
Anything involving ladders on roofs, live electrical work, gas lines or structural changes is best left to professionals. A mistake can hurt you or the house.
Count the tools
Many jobs need a special tool: a wet saw, a stud finder, a laser level, a plate compactor. If you would buy or rent several tools for one job, hiring may cost less.
Count your time
A job a pro does in two hours may take you a whole weekend, and a second trip to the store. Time has a value too.
Consider the risk
Some mistakes cost little, like a crooked picture. Others are expensive, like a leaking shower that rots a wall. Weigh the risk of failure when deciding.
Start with the easy wins
Changing filters, caulking a sink, replacing a cabinet knob, painting a small room and tightening hinges are good DIY jobs that build skill and confidence.
Know when to call
If a job grows beyond what you expected, stop and call. A half-finished project is harder to fix than a project that has not started.
Do the safe, simple jobs yourself, and hand the risky, tool-heavy ones to someone who does them every week.
