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\n <\/div>\n \n Renovating? Check your home value first<\/h3>\n
How much is your home worth today? In as little as two minutes, HomeLight can provide you with a preliminary estimate of value in preparation of your plans to renovate, remodel, or make repairs.<\/p>\n \n
Here\u2019s how you can avoid amateur hour by hiring the right person the first time.<\/p>\n
When do you need a home repair contractor?<\/h2>\n
When you sell your house, be prepared to put some work into it \u2014 both on your own and with the help of professionals. But before you go into total demolition mode, talk to your real estate agent about which maintenance issues to prioritize<\/a> and any updates that will increase the value of your home<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle things can be done yourself, like painting or replacing a lock or door handle, something you\u2019d do in your normal everyday life,\u201d says Maureen Horn<\/a>, a top Longboat Key real estate agent. \u201cThere\u2019s the next level of things that only a professional should do, and it\u2019s important that you have the receipts from a licensed professional.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s OK to try to save some money with DIY projects, but use your best judgment to decide when it\u2019s time to hand over the reins to a professional.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s say your floors could use a buff to really make them shine. How hard could it be? Hypothetically, homeowners can rent a buffing machine to buff their own hardwoods. But if you\u2019re not in the shape to handle powerful machinery, it\u2019s not worth it to try to do it yourself. You could hurt your floors or even worse, yourself.<\/p>\n And for that matter, when it comes to the home inspection<\/a>, anything that comes up (or might come up) should be handled by an experienced home repair contractor.<\/p>\n