While there are plenty of jobs around the house and garden that you can do yourself, there are some home improvement jobs you shouldn’t tackle. This may be for safety reasons or because certain jobs need to be signed off by a professional tradesperson.
Rewiring
Electrical work is highly specialised and only qualified electricians should carry out any kind of significant changes or additions to the electrical supply in your home. This includes changing or installing switches or sockets, installing an electrical appliance and repairing or rewiring anywhere in the property.
There is the potential for electric shocks or fires caused by dangerous wiring as well as appliances which may not work properly if incorrectly connected.
Fixing A Gas Leak
As with electrics, attempting any repairs to gas appliances is not recommended unless you are qualified to carry out such work. Any intervention on the gas supply in a property has to be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
If you have a gas leak you must report it immediately to the National Gas Emergency Service. Open all windows and don’t use any naked flames in the property as it could cause an explosion.
Removing Asbestos
Some older properties may have asbestos which was used for many years before being banned. The most likely places to come across asbestos in an old building are in the soffits, old vinyl floor tiles, textured finishes on ceilings, pipe insulation and as loose fill cavity insulation.
If you come across a material that you suspect may be asbestos in your home or garden do not touch or disturb it. Contact an asbestos specialist and they will deal with it for you.
Knocking Down Internal Walls
If you’re carrying out internal refurbishment and want to create more space you may be tempted to take down an internal wall or two. However, you could be removing a load-bearing wall which could affect the structure of the building and bring down your ceiling.
Before carrying out such work engage the services of an experienced and reputable builder or a qualified structural engineer.
Felling Trees
Cutting down a tree may seem easy when you watch other people do it or see it on TV. However, there is an immense amount of skill involved in felling trees, not least of which is controlling the direction in which the tree falls.
As well as the obvious damage you could do to yourself if you’re not trained to use a chainsaw you could hurt someone else or cause property damage if the tree falls where you didn’t intend it to. Tree surgeon costs are a small price to pay for the safety of you, your family and your home as well as those around you.
Roof Repairs
If you have a leaking roof or a slipped tile you may be tempted to grab a ladder and climb up on the roof to fix it. However, unless you are a roofer by profession and have the right safety equipment this is not advisable. Working at height takes skill and experience which most DIYers don’t have.
Not only are you at risk of falling but walking on your roof without a roofing ladder can cause more damage to the tiles. Slates in particular should never be walked on and are particularly slippery.
Fitting Windows
You may think fitting windows is something that you can safely do yourself especially if they are all on the ground floor. However, all window installations have to be signed off as being compliant with the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme (FENSA). This ensures that the windows have been installed in line with current Building Regulations.
So if you do fit them yourself you will need to contact your local authority and someone will come and check the installation. If it complies the installation will be signed off.