In general, homeowners in Berks County can save money by doing their own repairs. HomeAdvisor reports that homeowners who install their own linoleum flooring may save as much as $5,000 compared to homeowners who hire contractors. Despite this, there are some projects that are simply too complex, involve too much risk, and require too much specialized knowledge for homeowners to complete on their own.

Damage from Smoke or Fire

A home can be severely damaged by smoke and fire. Almost everything in a house can be damaged by smoke damage, including clothing, upholstery, carpets, and the walls themselves.

While homeowners can use specialty cleaning products to remove soot and replace drywall relatively cheaply, odor removal requires special tools that can be costly to purchase and difficult to rent. Thermal fogging and ozone treatment are two of the most common methods that professionals use to remove the smell from a home.

The average homeowner will pay between $3,000 and $22,000 for smoke damage restoration, but DIY projects may cost even more. When a homeowner fails to complete the job on his or her own, hiring a contractor afterward could raise the cost of the job.

Damage from Wind

Everything on a home can be damaged by wind, from the siding to the roof. Many DIYers take much longer to make repairs than contractors because of the complexity of the work. During that time, the home is vulnerable to damage from rain and the other elements. When homeowners attempt to repair their roofs or siding themselves, they may save on labor, but they could cause other costly problems in the process.

An advantage of hiring a contractor for this work is that he or she will likely have all the tools necessary to do the job as well as a crew of workers. A contractor can repair a damaged roof and siding in a weekend, but a homeowner may take many days or weeks.

Wind damage can cost between $2,000 and $10,000 to repair via a contractor. Homeowners hoping to save money can do some of the work on their own. For example, the homeowner can cut fallen tree branches to a more manageable size, then may haul them away to save on clean-up costs from the contractor.

Mold Damage

Mold is a serious problem that often occurs after a flood. Water damage after a flood can cost between $1,000 and $4,000 to repair, with mold remediation being a large part of that. Angie's List reports that mold remediation can cost between $2,700 and $3,300. Mold remediation costs over $500 should be handled by a licensed contractor because mold remediation can be invasive and could potentially do damage to the home.

Mold remediation involves an assessment of the home, contamination control, source removal and moisture control. This multi-faceted project must be comprehensive, or mold will return.

Homeowners who aren't sure about a DIY project can contact their contractor for more information. Speaking to a contractor can help the homeowner get a sense of how much a project will cost and whether it can be completed as a DIY.

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