Homeowners who think their handiwork is up to professional standards may risk lowering the value of their home when they want to sell.

Quality upgrades add value to a home, but shoppers are easily turned off by badly executed projects.

The listed price can drop accordingly.

Here’s a checklist of questions to to ask yourself before diving into a project:

1. Do I have all the skills and knowledge needed to do the job right the first time?
2. Do I have the time to aquire the skills or to do the work?
3. How long will it take me to learn these skills?
4. Does the time it will take me to learn the skills balance with the amount of money and time I will save hiring a professional?
5. Can I commit to performing the work to a professional degree or will it look as if an amateur did it?
6. Are all the proper tools available to me?
7. Can I afford to buy the correct tools and equiptment?
8. How much will these tools cost me as opposed to having a professional do the work?
9. Do I know how to safely operate these tools?
10. Will I ever use these tools again?
11. Is a license & inspection necessary for the repairs I need done?
12. Do local ordinances & codes allow the homeowner to perform this work?
13. How safe is it for me to physically to do the repair?
14. How valuable is my time off?
15. Can I afford to have the work done twice?

The greenest thing you can do for the enviroment is to buy something that does not need to be replaced, (or done twice)!