DIY Home Projects For Beginners Bankrate Caret RightMain Menu Mortgage Mortgages Financing a home purchase Refinancing your existing loan Finding the right lender Additional Resources Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Bank Banking Compare Accounts Use calculators Get advice Bank reviews Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Credit Card Credit cards Compare by category Compare by credit needed Compare by issuer Get advice Looking for the perfect credit card? Narrow your search with CardMatch Caret RightMain Menu Loan Loans Personal Loans Student Loans Auto Loans Loan calculators Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Invest Investing Best of Brokerages and robo-advisors Learn the basics Additional resources Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Home Equity Home equity Get the best rates Lender reviews Use calculators Knowledge base Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Loan Home Improvement Real estate Selling a home Buying a home Finding the right agent Additional resources Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Insurance Insurance Car insurance Homeowners insurance Other insurance Company reviews Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Retirement Retirement Retirement plans & accounts Learn the basics Retirement calculators Additional resources Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Maskot/Getty Images March 22, 2022 Cynthia Widmayer is an insurance contributor for Bankrate and has over two years of experience as a personal finance writer. She covers home, car and life insurance products for Bankrate, The Simple Dollar and Coverage.com among others. Troy Segal is Bankrate's Senior Homeownership Editor, focusing on everything from upkeep and maintenance to building equity and enhancing value. Bankrate logo
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Why it’s ideal for DIY beginners: a room is perhaps the easiest and most affordable of home improvement projects, not to mention the simplest way to give any space a facelift. Unlike some other DIY projects, you can’t go too wrong with paint. If you don’t like the result, you just start over. What you’ll need: You don’t need too many tools to paint a room, but you will want to invest in a high-quality paint brush set, roller and pan, and cleaning equipment. A wall paint kit can be bought at the department store for as little as $20. Depending on the type and quality of paint, a gallon can set you back by $20 to $100. What you’ll save: Painting a room yourself will cost you between $1 and $3 per square foot, which is nearly half the expense of a professional. You will also need at least two gallons of paint; though often recommended, primer is optional if your walls were already professionally painted and are in fairly good shape. To save more money, you could try borrowing paint tools from friends or neighbors. What to watch out for: A DIY paint job only works when the walls are in good condition and don’t need any more than a change of color. However, if there are serious stains, corrosion, mold, or cracks, hiring a pro may be the wiser move. Replace a window screen
Why it’s ideal for DIY beginners: Whether due to age, a storm, or a fallen branch, torn window screens are a common occurrence for any homeowner. But replacing them doesn’t require any specialized skill, or even much strength. What you’ll need: A new screen, a flat-head screwdriver, and a spline roller are all you need for replacing a window screen. Plus, these cheap tools last forever, so the next time you need to replace another screen, you’ll already have the equipment on hand. What you’ll save: Professional window screen replacement or repair costs an average of $306, according to HomeAdvisor. While labor is only about a third of the overall tab, it still works out to more than the $20 to $80 that easy-to-install pre-assembled screens cost. What to watch out for: If your windows are very high and you don’t have the means to safely reach them, or if they are an unusual size or shape, consider getting a professional for the job. Pre-assembled screens only fit standard-size windows. Refresh caulking
Why it’s ideal for DIY beginners: Refreshing dirty or moldy-looking caulking around the requires only a few tools, and no super-specialized training — just a steady hand. Mainly, what you have to do is remove the existing caulking and then use a caulk gun to lay a new line. What you’ll need: The tools needed for re-caulking the bathroom include a caulk gun, putty knife, scraper, caulk remover, and caulk with additives to prevent mold and mildew. What you’ll save: Professional recaulking by a handyman can cost $100 to $500 per 125 feet, or $0.15 per linear foot, according to Porch. While you do have to buy supplies, they last for years and can be used multiple times, if stored properly. What to watch out for: If you’re using silicone caulk, the odor can be overpowering and cause irritation and even lightheadedness. It generally takes the smell a couple of hours to dissipate. Don’t forget to invest in gloves: You should never use caulk with bare hands since it can cause burns and peel off the skin. Build a shelf
Why it’s ideal for DIY beginners: Construction is a more advanced category, granted, but as woodworking projects go, building a custom shelf is a relatively simple one — no complex designs — and so good to start with. What you’ll need: Plywood, drill, circular saw, wall anchors, nail guns, and studs. If the idea of power saws sounds scary, you can always have the lumber supplier or a home improvement store cut the shelves for you, based on your specs. Or even buy ready-made ones. What you’ll save: Cabinetry is a fairly labor-intensive project: According to HomeAdvisor, custom shelving by a professional carpenter can cost as much as $4,000, depending on the type of shelf and materials used. In contrast, if you DIY, you have only materials and equipment costs. Plywood comes in cabinet grade and construction grade and priced by each sheet or panel. The cost will depend on the thickness and the type of wood you choose, but the average range is around $5 to $40 per sheet. A circular saw is priced between $50 and $200, and you can buy different blades separately. A nail gun costs $80 to $300 on average. What to watch out for: Measurement is key here. Make sure to properly measure the boards and mark the spots for brackets or anchors before installing them. Also consider the weight of the items the shelves will hold before you begin; you might have to use the wall studs for support. Change light fixtures
Why it’s ideal for DIY beginners: If you have the time and a little familiarity with , you could save a ton in labor costs by replacing a ceiling or wall light fixture. As electrical jobs go, this is an easier one because you’re just hooking up the fixture to existing wiring, not installing anything new. What you’ll need: Pliers, 4-in-1 screwdriver, needle-nose pliers, voltage tester, wire cutter, ground screw, electrical tape, and step ladder are some of the tools required. All of these can be easily purchased at a hardware store, if you don’t have them already. What you’ll save: Electricians are expensive. A professional light fixture installation can cost an average of $80 an hour or $527 per project, according to HomeAdvisor. Small lights can cost less than $100, but intricate fixtures can go up to a few thousand dollars. What to watch out for: Of course, you know to turn the power off before you do anything. Even so, working with electricity always carries some risk. If, once you expose them, the wires look badly frayed or damaged in some way, do not attempt this. Make sure the new light fixture is the same size as the old; if it doesn’t fit the space, do not attempt this. And never try to install a fixture in a new spot where none previously existed. These are all jobs for the licensed pros. The bottom line on beginner DIY projects
DIY home renovation jobs can save you a lot of money and offer a lot of satisfaction. Beginners will always have a l, of course. But while it’s good to stretch, know your limitations — especially if it’s a project that deals with power tools or electricity — and it is always wise to know where to draw the line, and when to call in the professionals. Learn more
SHARE: Cynthia Widmayer is an insurance contributor for Bankrate and has over two years of experience as a personal finance writer. She covers home, car and life insurance products for Bankrate, The Simple Dollar and Coverage.com among others. Troy Segal is Bankrate's Senior Homeownership Editor, focusing on everything from upkeep and maintenance to building equity and enhancing value. Related Articles