01Generally fine to do yourself
Low consequence if imperfect, and easy to correct.
- Painting, if you are willing to do the preparation properly
- Replacing cabinet and door hardware
- Basic shelving and storage
- Landscaping, mulching, pruning and general tidying
- Weatherstripping and draught-proofing
- Small cosmetic repairs and filling
02Reasonable if you have done it before
Recoverable, but a poor result is visible and reads as a corner cut.
- Laminate or click vinyl flooring
- Simple trim and baseboard
- Tiling a backsplash
- Hanging interior doors
- Minor drywall patching — noting that a bad tape joint shows under raking light forever
03Hand these over, without exception
Not because they are difficult, but because the consequence of getting them wrong is safety, insurance, or a failed inspection at the worst moment.
- Anything electrical — it needs a licensed contractor and an ESA notification
- Gas work of any kind
- Structural changes, including removing a wall you believe is not load-bearing
- Relocating plumbing, drains or venting
- Waterproofing and foundation work
- Roofing
- Major HVAC and ductwork
- Anything requiring a permit
The permit point matters more than people expect. Unpermitted work surfaces during a sale, at insurance renewal, or after a fire — and by then it costs far more than the permit would have.
04What bad workmanship actually costs
A buyer who sees one obviously amateur repair starts looking for others, and mentally discounts the whole property rather than that one item. Visible DIY in a house being sold does not read as thrift; it reads as a question about everything that is not visible.