So you’ve had an energy assessment, you know what areas you want to improve on in your home, and you are ready for some home renovations (that are covered by the Energy Rebates!). Now what?

Whether it is the garage door, pipes, or an appliance, when it’s time for a repair or renovation you may be tempted to do it yourself. At first glance, do it yourself repair appears to save you money and time. While it might be the case in certain instances, it is always better and prudent to hire a professional.

Anytime your home needs repairs, the services of a licensed, experienced, and adequately trained professional will be incomparable. Working on the different systems in your home can turn out to be highly risky. For example, working with gas and electricity can cause serious injury or even death in some instances. If you opt to work on the roof by yourself there’s a serious risk of falling. Furthermore, personally handling faults in your plumbing systems can not only cause costly repairs but also structural damages when not done properly. Simply put, you are susceptible to many unforeseen hazards by not hiring a professional.

As much as hiring a professional is important, there are steps you need to take before doing so to properly protect yourself, and your investment. Here are some of the important things you need to do prior to hiring:

• Get not less than three competitive quotations and/or opinions
• Conduct an extensive research on the different companies providing home repair services
• Ensure your prospective company or professional is licensed and/or insured

Why Hire a Professional

Here are some of the reasons you need to trust a contractor to handle your home repairs rather than doing it yourself:

• Expertise – Hiring a licensed home repair professional (s) not only ensures you benefit from vast years of experience; you also enjoy first-rate customer service. Most professionals have seen it all. They are always prepared adequately to tackle home repair jobs of any size. In many cases, they have the knowledge to know exactly what ought to be done even before arriving at your premise because of their vast experience. Ultimately, they help save you labor costs and time.
• Safety – Safety is always a top concern when handling different kinds of repairs at home. Whether it’s giving your HVAC system an upgrade or installing a new light fixture, adhering to proper safety procedures is key. If you are clueless about the dangers of the work you are doing, it is highly important and prudent that you hire a professional.
• Knowledge – The fact that a professional ensures the problems never recurs again is one of the reasons you need to hire a professional. Handymen normally provide invaluable preventative maintenance advice that helps you avoid an array of problems even in the days to come.

When to call in Professionals

Regardless of how skilled you might be with a tool set, hiring qualified, experienced, and reputable professionals can save you money substantially. Normally, you need to call a professional for home repairs that can most likely affect your property’s value as well as the safety of occupants. Some of these repairs include:

• Roofing
• Insulation
• Plumbing
• Wiring

Energy assessment inspired home repairs and renovations are exciting (really!) but don’t get ahead of yourself. Put your mind at ease by entrusting your renovations to certified professionals.