Summer Home Improvement Jobs You Should Contract Out (And Ones You Can Do Yourself)

Summer is one of the best times of the year to do a little home improvement -- the longer days allow for brighter working hours, and the weather tends to be a bit more stable than spring rain or wintertime snowfalls. But how do you know which jobs on your to-do list can be accomplished by a couple afternoon's honest toil and which ones should be left to the professionals? If you're looking for some help deciding what tasks will boost your home improvement ego and which ones put the 'why' in DIY, then here's what you need to know.

Going Solo

There are plenty of jobs that can be easily accomplished with some dedication and a lot of elbow grease -- and they'll really help to make your home look its very best for summer get-togethers. A few are:

• Sealing the driveway. A good driveway will last a long time and pull the outside of your house together if you properly maintain it. You should re-seal your driveway once about every three years, just to make sure it stays protected from both the elements and the everyday rigors of bearing your car. It's easy to seal your driveway alone -- just make sure you have the proper equipment and a cloudless forecast.
• Outdoor aesthetic changes. Replacing your old house numbers with a fresh set; cleaning and/or replacing outdoor lights; repainting the front door -- all of these jobs are easy and moderately enjoyable, and can make a big difference in how the front of your house looks. Just make sure that you can return any quirky light fixtures or artistically clashing numbers -- sometimes you need to look at the whole picture to find out what looks good and what needs to go.

With A Little Help From Your Friends

There's no shame in calling in the cavalry when you need help, however; some jobs are too tricky, too specialized, or require too many tools to be feasible to accomplish all on your own. These include:

• Redoing home plumbing systems. One wrong move with your plumbing can cause thousands of dollars worth of water damage. It's best to leave this up to people with intimate knowledge of pipe systems -- and who can fix a situation if a problem arises.
• Removing asbestos. As with anything that can get you sick, it's prudent to leave the job to those with proper clothing and tools to dispose of the hazardous material.
• Roofing. Nothing says 'horrifying back injury' like attempting to re-shingle your roof by hand. Professional contractors have taller ladders and more safety equipment than you do -- so leave it in their capable (and safe) hands.

To learn more, contact a company like West Vancouver Curtis Paving. 

Share