Have you ever walked through a home for sale and noticed a few things gone wrong? The lack of skill and craftsmanship made you raise an eyebrow as you wondered “What else did the owners try to do themselves…and fail?”

Here are my top 3 recommended tasks best left for the pros when it comes to updating your home:

#1) Tiling your bathroom or kitchen backsplash. While this may seem easy…think again! First, you need to make sure you’re laying the tile on a completely flat surface; otherwise, the tile will look uneven. Next, to get those perfectly spaced grout lines, purchasing tile spacers is a must. Grout can also crack or dip if it's not mixed properly or if too little is used between tiles. You need special backing material and grout-sealing techniques for areas subject to water penetration so mold doesn’t become an issue. Finally, you will need several special tools to cut the tile without it shattering into a million pieces. As you can see, tiling really is a skill and an art that even some of the professionals out there have difficulties getting just right. Hiring a good tile person is key.

#2) Painting cabinets. What most people don’t realize when it comes to getting a gorgeous finish on painted cabinets is: this is a multi-step process that takes a lot of time and patience. To get that high-end finish, it takes several sanding steps with different grits. You need to use the right type of primer for the paint to adhere to and create an even look. Most professionals use a high-end sprayer instead of paint brushes to prevent brush strokes and to get that even finish. Hiring a professional is the best way to go for the highest quality results.

#3) Plumbing. Anything dealing with water pipes, I would highly recommend hiring out. Why? If you do it wrong, water damage issues are extremely costly to fix. Think adding an extra sink to the bathroom is easy? If you don’t do it right, it can ruin floors, walls, cause mold, and more! Save more money (and the headache) by getting a professional to do it right the first time.