Is This a DIY Job?
Pick the job, answer the safety questions it raises, and get one of three answers: do it yourself, do it carefully, or call a pro. When in doubt, it picks the safer one.
What kind of job is it?
The rules it uses
Every job starts from a typical answer. A yes to any of these questions can only make the answer more cautious, never less.
Yes means at least: Call a pro
Does it involve a gas line, a gas connection, or any smell of gas?
Gas work needs a licensed pro in most places. A loose fitting can leak, and a bad connection can cause carbon monoxide problems.
Yes means at least: Call a pro
Does it involve the breaker panel, a new circuit, or aluminum or knob-and-tube wiring?
Panel work, new circuits and older wiring types are where electrical fires start. Most places require a licensed electrician and a permit.
Yes means at least: Call a pro
Could it mean cutting or removing a wall, beam, joist, rafter or post?
Anything that might carry load needs an engineer or contractor to confirm it before it is cut. Getting it wrong shows up as sagging floors and cracked walls.
Yes means at least: Do it yourself, carefully
Will you be on the roof, or working higher than a single-story ladder reaches?
Falls from ladders and roofs are the most common serious DIY injury. Use a stabilizer, keep three points of contact, and do not work alone.
Yes means at least: Do it yourself, carefully
Was the home built before 1980, and will you sand, scrape, cut or tear out old paint, drywall, flooring, texture or insulation?
Homes of that age can have lead paint and asbestos. Test the material before you disturb it; if it tests positive, hire a certified abatement contractor.
Yes means at least: Do it yourself, carefully
Does your town require a permit for this, or are you not sure?
Check with your building department before you start. Unpermitted work can fail a home sale inspection or void an insurance claim.
Yes means at least: Call a pro
Is there active water damage, a leak you cannot stop, or mold covering more than about 10 sq ft?
Active water damage and large mold areas need the source found and the material dried or removed properly. Mold larger than about 10 sq ft is a job for a remediation pro.
Every job at a glance
Plumbing
Do it yourself
Fix a dripping faucet
A worn cartridge, washer or O-ring causes almost every drip. The part costs a few dollars and the job takes under an hour.
Faucet and sink installation cheat sheetDo it yourself
Fix a running toilet
The flapper or the fill valve is leaking. Both are universal parts and about a 20 minute job.
Toilet installation cheat sheetDo it yourself
Clear one clogged drain
A single slow sink, tub or toilet is usually a local clog. A barbed drain tool, a plunger or a hand auger clears most of them. If several drains are slow at once, it is the main line: call a plumber.
Before You Call a PlumberDo it yourself, carefully
Replace a water heater
A like-for-like electric tank swap is within reach if you can sweat or crimp fittings and handle 240 volts safely, and it usually needs a permit. A gas unit means gas and venting work, which is a job for a licensed plumber.
Water heater cheat sheetCall a pro
Move or add a sink, toilet or shower
New drain and vent runs have to meet slope and venting rules, and most towns require a permit and inspection. Plan the layout yourself, then hire the rough-in.
Plumbing vent size chartAct now
Water is leaking and I cannot stop it
Close the main shutoff where the water line enters the house. If that does not stop it, call your water utility to shut the street valve. Keep water away from outlets, and turn off power to wet areas.
Electrical
Do it yourself, carefully
Replace an outlet or light switch like for like
Swapping an outlet or switch on the same wires is a common DIY job. Turn off the breaker, confirm the power is off with a non-contact tester, and match the new device to the old wiring. GFCI protection is required near water.
Electrical cheat sheetDo it yourself, carefully
Replace a light fixture or ceiling fan
Swapping a fixture on an existing box is a common DIY job. A ceiling fan needs a fan-rated box, because a light-only box can pull out of the ceiling.
Ceiling fan installation cheat sheetCall a pro
Add a new outlet, circuit or EV charger
A new circuit means work in the panel, wire sized to the breaker, and usually a permit and inspection. Size the load yourself, then hire the install.
Electrical load calculatorAct now
An outlet is sparking, hot or smells like burning
Switch off the breaker for that circuit, or the main if you cannot tell which one it is. Do not use the outlet. If you see smoke or flame, get out and call 911.
Gas
Do it yourself, carefully
Relight a pilot light
Follow the instructions printed on the appliance exactly. If the pilot will not stay lit after two tries, the thermocouple or gas control may have failed: call a pro. If you smell gas at any point, stop and leave.
Water heater cheat sheetCall a pro
Hook up a gas stove, dryer or fireplace
A gas connection has to be the right fitting, leak tested, and in many places installed by a licensed pro. Many retailers include installation with the appliance.
Act now
I smell gas
Do not flip switches, use the phone inside, or light anything. Get everyone out, leave the door open, and call the gas utility or 911 from outside.
Heating and cooling
Do it yourself
Change the furnace or AC filter
Match the size printed on the old filter, point the airflow arrow toward the blower, and replace it every one to three months.
HVAC filter MERV cheat sheetDo it yourself, carefully
No heat or no cooling
Check the thermostat batteries and setting, the breaker, the furnace switch, and the filter. A clogged condensate line can also shut an AC off. If those are fine, call an HVAC tech: sealed systems and gas burners are not DIY.
Call a pro
Add refrigerant, replace a unit, or run new ducts
Handling refrigerant requires EPA certification, and new equipment or duct runs need sizing and usually a permit.
Ductwork sizing calculatorRoof and gutters
Do it yourself, carefully
Clean gutters
From a stable ladder on a single-story house, this is a routine DIY job. On a two-story house or a steep roof, a gutter service is cheap compared to a fall.
Gutter installation cheat sheetDo it yourself, carefully
Replace a few missing shingles
On a low-pitch roof you can walk safely, replacing a handful of shingles is a manageable job. Steep or high roofs need a roofer with fall protection.
Asphalt shingle roofing cheat sheetCall a pro
Replace the whole roof
Tear-off, decking repair, underlayment and flashing done right decide whether the roof lasts 25 years. It usually needs a permit. Size the job yourself so you can compare quotes.
Roofing calculatorWalls and structure
Do it yourself
Patch a hole in drywall
Small holes take spackle; larger ones take a patch or a new piece screwed to backing. Feather the compound wide and sand between coats.
Drywall texture repair cheat sheetDo it yourself
Mount a TV or heavy shelves
Find the studs, use lag screws or the mount's hardware into them, and check the mount's weight rating. Drywall anchors alone are not enough for a TV.
TV mounting cheat sheetCall a pro
Remove or open up a wall
Walls can carry load, wiring, plumbing and ducts. Have a contractor or engineer confirm what is in it before you cut. Demolition of a confirmed non-bearing wall can be DIY, but the confirmation should not be.
Framing cheat sheetCall a pro
A crack in the foundation or basement wall
Thin vertical shrinkage cracks are common, but horizontal cracks, stair-step cracks, cracks wider than about 1/4 in, or one side higher than the other can mean movement. Have a structural engineer look before you patch it.
Basement waterproofing cheat sheetPaint, floors and tile
Do it yourself
Paint a room
Clean, patch, prime where needed, cut in, then roll. In an older home, test before you sand old paint.
Paint calculatorDo it yourself
Install vinyl plank or laminate flooring
Click-lock plank floors are one of the most DIY-friendly upgrades. Acclimate the planks, flatten the subfloor, and leave the expansion gap.
Flooring calculatorDo it yourself
Tile a backsplash or floor
A backsplash is a good first tile job. Showers are harder: waterproofing mistakes stay hidden until they rot the wall, so take extra care there.
Tile calculatorDo it yourself, carefully
Remove a popcorn ceiling
Popcorn texture applied before the 1980s can contain asbestos. Send a sample to a lab before you wet or scrape it. A negative test makes it a messy but simple DIY job.
Lead and asbestos safety cheat sheetDoors and windows
Do it yourself
Weatherstrip a drafty door or window
Foam, V-strip and door sweeps go on in minutes and pay back fast on heating and cooling.
Weatherstripping cheat sheetDo it yourself
Replace a doorknob, lock or hinge
Most knobs and deadbolts fit a standard bore. Measure the backset and bore before you buy.
Do it yourself, carefully
Replace a window or exterior door
An insert window or prehung door in the same opening is a careful DIY job, and flashing is what keeps it dry. A new or larger opening means a header: call a pro.
Window installation cheat sheetAppliances
Do it yourself
Clean the dryer vent
Lint buildup is a leading cause of dryer fires. A brush kit clears the duct; replace any foil or vinyl duct with rigid or semi-rigid metal.
Dryer vent installation cheat sheetDo it yourself, carefully
Install a dishwasher or garbage disposal
Swapping a unit on the existing water, drain and power connections is a careful DIY job. If there is no outlet or circuit under the sink, that part is an electrician's.
Garbage disposal cheat sheetOutdoor and yard
Do it yourself, carefully
Build a fence
Confirm the property line, check height rules, and call 811 so buried utilities get marked before you dig.
Fence calculatorDo it yourself, carefully
Build a deck
Low, freestanding decks are a common DIY project. Decks attached to the house or more than about 30 in off the ground usually need a permit and correctly sized footings, beams and ledger flashing.
Deck calculatorDo it yourself, carefully
Build a retaining wall
Block walls under about 3 to 4 ft are a common DIY project with good drainage behind them. Taller walls, or walls holding back a driveway or slope, usually need an engineer and a permit.
Retaining wall cheat sheetCall a pro
Take down a large tree
Trees near the house, power lines or a fence can fall the wrong way. Small trees you can drop in an open area are DIY with a chainsaw and protective gear.