DIY: 5 household maintenance projects you can do yourself

This $1,000 Challenge about household maintenance projects is Presented by Zip Mortgage powered by Zions Bank. Visit zionsbank.com. *Loans subject to credit approval; terms and conditions apply. A division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC.  Equal Housing Lender. NMLS# 467014.

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What Household Maintenence Projects are You Doing?

Nothing is more soul-sucking than paying for an expensive repair that you could probably fix yourself. There’s a good chance you could save a pretty penny if you DIY your own household maintenance projects.

Dave & Dujanvoic are no strangers to spending money on maintenance they could have saved instead. As part of the $1,000 Challenge, Dave & Dujanvoic are encouraging listeners and members of the $1,000 Challenge Facebook group to research if they can fix costly repairs and renovations themselves before paying a third party.

Here are some household maintenance projects you could do yourself with the help of friends, family, and of course, YouTube.com

1. Fixing and/or replacing the toilet

Does your toilet constantly run, have water pressure issues, or clog often? Little annoyances can really hurt the pocketbook because companies know you’ll do almost anything to live a peaceful life. However, what if it took you six minutes and $4 in parts to fix your own toilet? Would you still be willing to pay hundreds of dollars in labor costs?

YouTube is a fabulous resource to look towards for basic home repairs. It’ll teach you how to fix your running toilet in no time!

Dave Noreiga says that replacing his toilet himself is something he could easily do to improve his household without breaking the bank.

2. Tile the backsplash

Everyone wants to make the space they live in a little more aesthetically pleasing and no one wants to spend the money it would take to create a catalog style home. An inexpensive DIY project is placing a backsplash in the kitchen or bathroom. Tons of interior design bloggers rave about how easy it was to update their kitchen by just adding a splash of color behind the oven.

Debbie believes that she could tile a backsplash pretty easily! She says she saved about $1,000 in labor by doing the job herself.

YouTube will provide step-by-step instructions on how to tile a backsplash by yourself. It’s also worth noting that your favorite home influencer might have a few tip and tricks on products to use.

3. Retiling the kitchen, bathroom, entryway

There’s no hiding the fact that home renovations can be a pain. Retiling any floor can be costly and time-consuming, so if you tackle this project on your own, it might be smart to have a friend or family member help you out.

However, there’s something incredibly satisfying about completing a complicated project and feeling proud of the work! Debbie shared on the Dave & Dujanovic show that she has retiled her entryway and fell in love with her work. While she admits to wrecking her fingers during the update she’s more excited about the money she saved the things she learned along the way.

If there isn’t a friend around to help you out, don’t fret! Websites like YouTube will walk you all the way through the process.

4. Changing the oil in a car

The dreaded feeling of reaching 5,000 miles and having to take your car in for an oil change never fails to make an appearance. One way to save a little bit of cash is to change your own oil! While it may be a little daunting the first time, it’s a fairly basic procedure.

YouTube videos and even the vehicle’s manual have instructions on how to change the oil in a car. Take advantage of the resources given and learn how to change your own oil! It’ll also save you all the up-sales maintenance stores try and pin on you.

Dave & Dujanovic do point out that in some cases, it might be cheaper to have professionals change your oil if you don’t have access to the equipment, such as a jack stand. Even if you don’t own all the tools, scoping them out secondhand would save some money.

5. Basic maintenance on a vehicle

Have you ever had a dome light or air filter that needs to be replaced and mechanic wants to charge you an arm and a leg to have them do it? Mechanics have charged upwards of $300 to replace a lightbulb that costs $2.

Dave explained on Dave & Dujanovic that it took him 20 minutes to change the dome light in his truck. Basic maintenance isn’t supposed to be incredibly time-consuming, so why do businesses charge so much money for them? Or the better question is, why can’t you try and do it yourself?

Learning how to fix minimal things on your car can save you so much money that can be put towards things you cannot fix yourself. Try going to a mechanic only when absolutely necessary.

The $1,000 Challenge

Dave & Dujanovic introduce the $1,000 Challenge. (Image: KSL Newsradio)

Join the $1,000 Challenge Facebook group to see other brilliant ideas on how to get your budget in check and to be a part of a tribe that’ll encourage you every step along the way.

And tune into Dave & Dujanovic every day from 9 a.m to noon on KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM / 1160 AM for financial tips and tricks Monday through Thursday.

Dave & Dujanovic can be heard weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon on KSL Newsradio. Users can find the show on the KSL Newsradio website and app, as well as Apple Podcasts and Google Play.