Doing the job yourself and avoiding the labor costs of a professional is appealing to many people. But you have to factor in the extra time you’ll be spending. If your time is more valuable then hire it done. If not, then roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Here are 10 of our favorite easy to moderate DIY projects.

1. painting walls

2. replacing electrical switchplates

3. putting up cheap bamboo shades

4. putting up a light fixture

5. change the locks on your doors

6. putting in new cabinet handles

7. replacing the toilet seat

8. installing minor fixtures like delta bathroom faucets

9. caulking the tub or sink

10. replacing light bulbs

There are tons of more difficult projects, and for those you should be solidly grounded in the skills required for each one. Job like laying carpet or installing a fireplace can require more than one person and there’s definitely a know-how required.

If you’re doing the job yourself you should expect it to take at least 50% longer than what a professional could do. Since they do it all the time they’ve gotten faster and know how to hit their groove quickly. You’ll be fumbling a bit more so it will take longer. Trips to the hospital shouldn’t be counted out.

When shopping for materials remember the old rule that you get what you pay for. A sale is a great thing and should be taken advantage of, but don’t buy cheap materials or you’ll be redoing your project anywhere from 1 day to 5 years later. If quality doesn’t matter then you shouldn’t be doing what you are.

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