18 These are the projects that you should leave to the experts: The pandemic is inspiring homeowners to update their spaces with simple yet effective upgrades. When looking into DIY home projects, professional contractor Zac Matchett-Smith shares when to do it yourself and when to leave it to the experts. Here are some things you can DIY along with some pro tips from Zac: Landscaping. Gardening is a fantastic way to liven up any outdoor space and manage water from downspouts. Pro tip: Laying patio stones and pavers can help manage the mess from going inside your home during transitional months by cutting down on mud created by regular lawns. Switch up your tub fixture. Swapping plumbing fixtures is a quick and easy way to give your bathroom a facelift without re-plumbing the whole space or doing an extensive renovation. This can be as simple as screwing off the old spout and screwing on a new one. Pro tip: Some tub spouts are secured in position with a single set screw on the underside of the spout, but with the right adapter, can easily be replaced by a set screw spout. To instantly modernize and elevate your space, also check out the range of shower spouts available in different finishes, including matte black, from the Delta Kitano collection. Removing walls. Some walls can be easily removed, but without experience it's difficult to know which ones can safely be removed. The truth is that removing certain walls can structurally undermine your home. You could remove a wall thinking it's fine, only to have problems during the next big windstorm. Decks. Properly structuring a deck requires just as much experience and knowledge as structuring a house. Decks are subject to a lot of extra stress because they are outside 365 days a year and they need to be built to withstand that stress, especially winter conditions. Find more information at deltafaucet.ca. -- News Canada Pandemic reno? When to DIY and when to call the experts JP LEVON Real Estate Representative Direct: 905-213-1585 • Office: 647-313-3400 www.soldbylevon.com Serving Durham, Northumberland & Cottage Country List with JP, TheWiser move List for 3% Total Commission Full Service Brokerage SELLiNg??? Real Estate *Sales representative **Broker ***Broker of record ADVERTISING FEATURE HOMEFINDER.CA DON'T WAIT, FIND A NEW HOME TODAY AT