Home ownership is mostly an enjoyable experience, but with a few caveats.

Home maintenance is inevitably a part of home ownership and, for the most part, expected. 

There are some items that you can simply tackle on your own, of course, such as replacing furnace filters, but there are some that should be handled by the professionals.

Benefits to Hiring a Professional 

Although it does cost money to hire a professional, in the same way having higher home standards are worth the money, there are some aspects of this that make the cost worthwhile. For starters, you won't be taking up your own valuable relaxation or family time on weekends to do maintenance work. Not only is this frustrating, but come Monday, you'll feel anything but rested.

Professionals also have the proper tools and equipment to complete the job. For you, it's likely you'll get halfway through the job before you have to abandon it to head to the nearest home maintenance store for a supply or tool. This delays your completion and interrupts your personal time even more.

If you were to complete these tasks yourself, you may also take quite a bit longer to finish the job than a professional. You're obviously not charging yourself for the length of time it takes, but you're certainly losing out on your own valuable time by taking longer to complete the work. 

Potentially the biggest reason to hire a professional: depending on the type of work you're completing, you can actually wind up voiding your custom home's warranty coverage by attempting your own work. Before you take on any type of home maintenance while your home is under warranty, check with your builder or Alberta New Home Warranty to be sure you will not sabotage your coverage.

What Types of Work Should I Hire Out? 

If the job is something you can tackle in a short amount of time or it isn't time-sensitive, then it can be ideal to take care of it on your own if cost is a concern. 

Things like replacing and cleaning filters, painting a fence (depending on the size of the fence), or pruning hedges are things you can take care of on your own.

If a job is larger scale, is physically intense, requires special permits or legal documents, or if it requires special equipment or skills, it's best to hire a professional. Annual items such as air duct cleaning should be hired out, even if you know how to do it yourself.

Any work that was originally required to pass inspection during construction, such as electrical, plumbing (unless minor such as cleaning a catch), or HVAC should be hired out. Electrical work is dangerous if you aren't certified, and can lead to serious injury or risk of fire if not completed correctly. Plumbing work is not so much dangerous at the time but, if not completed properly, can lead to leaks inside your home, causing mould and potential rot.

Higher than Six Feet 

If your feet need to be higher than six feet off the ground to complete the work, you should hire a professional as he or she will be trained for this work, and will also carry fall protection coverage. This counts for both interior and exterior jobs, especially anything related to your roof. Roofing professionals are required to be tied off at the peak of your roof for safety reasons to prevent falls and injury. They have the proper equipment to do this, whereas you likely won't.

Permits Required 

Any type of work that requires a permit, such as basement development, deck installation, or anything involving plumbing, electrical, or HVAC should be hired out. 

It's up to you whether you rely on your contractor to take care of the permit, or if you'd rather obtain it yourself to ensure it's done. Permits are typically required for types of work where safety or proper drainage is involved and are subject to inspection to ensure the work has been completed correctly. For this reason, a professional should complete this kind of work.

Your home is the largest investment you'll make in your lifetime, and as such, ensuring the maintenance work is done properly should be important. It attests to the condition and longevity of your home, and ultimately your personal investment. 

Risking the warranty coverage on your home is not worth saving a few dollars to complete the work yourself; protect your investment and be sure to hire the right people for the right job.

Photo credits: fixing tap, sealing joints, electrician