There is something profound in carrying out all the home renovations yourself. Basically, twenty years on, you will be able to tell your children that you added this room or installed new shingles on the roof. However, there are some projects that simply do not fall under the domain of a DIY activity, as they are either too complicated or too dangerous. It is not that we don’t trust your handyman skills, it is just that the complexity of some home additions is a factor that prevents a single person from completing the project successfully. In such cases, the dangers are far too great for a layman to intrude, so professional help is a must. In case you are wondering which projects exactly we are talking about, here is a list of 4 home improvements that do not fall under the DIY category.
Removing asbestos
Back in the day, asbestos was used for isolation inside walls of many homes. It is soundproof, heat-resistant and electricity-resistant, which renders it as a perfect form of isolation. Well, at least that’s what the builders thought until researches were carried out in the last decades of the 20th century that showed that it was highly toxic. This even led to a short ban in the United States, and although asbestos is still being installed in homes, it is no longer the first choice for isolation.
Admittedly, you could pry out asbestos from your walls on your own but the health risks for you, your family and your neighbors are high. People’s health is not to be played with, so better hire professionals who have all the necessary protective gear.
Repairing the roof
A roof repair is not dangerous in itself but it is working at height that takes most lives and injures homeowners who aren’t careful enough. Replacing tiles or shingles is easy but balancing the ladder is not. Many people topple down before even setting foot on the roof as they lose balance and fall off the ladder. That is why the ladder should be placed on a flat and firm surface and you shouldn’t lean too much to the side.
Once on the roof, it is the slope that is dangerous. If it had been raining the previous day, the surface of the roof is probably still wet and it is easy to slip. On the ground, you could grab yourself to something but on the roof you are left without anything to hold onto so you slide from the edge of the roof and fall down. That is why it is not the smartest of ideas to dabble with roof repair, as it is too risky for an inexperienced homeowner.
Tearing down walls
Ah, the classical mistake everybody makes. If you are doing a home renovation that includes moving walls, the old line of the wall has to go, so it is time to pick up the sledgehammer. However, the banging that is going to ensue could send you to the hospital crying after the first blow. The thing is, there is no way of telling what the wall is made of and it if it’s only plaster or bricks. Also, if you don’t check the floor plan, you might hit a load-bearing wall that could endanger the roof structure.
The blows you deliver are violent so they might chop off more than you planned and the entire wall could come crashing down onto you. Even a single piece of concrete with rebaring inside can smash your foot if it is unprotected. Homeowners often forget to implement safety measures, such as wearing steel cap boots that are designed precisely for protecting your toes and the entire foot from heavy falling objects. A moment of disattention while tearing down a wall could mean a visit to the emergency room and months of recovery.
Gas and electricity lines
Unaware to the tenants but there are several pipelines and gas lines leading inside the house. They conduct electricity and gas to where it is needed in the house. For instance, your gas heating radiator has an underground line leading to it. People who built the house connected the lines to the radiator but they might have not stuck to the blueprint and the blueprint is the only guideline you’ve got. If you’re doing any work that involves digging outside or tearing down kitchen walls, then you run the risk of severing a gas line.
This could be highly dangerous because carbon monoxide poisoning is a real possibility if the rupture occurs in a closed room or the entire house could blow up if a spark appears. The same goes for power lines that could electrocute you if cut in the wrong place and if the wires are live.
We hope that by now you realize how dangerous it is to engage in any of the 4 home improvements listed here. Stick to projects that do not involve dealing with electricity or toxic materials such as asbestos.