Sure, easy DIY jobs like water blasting your house or hanging up picture frames can add to your property value, but you can dream so much bigger than this! Whether it’s building a deck, getting stuck into a kitchen renovation or even parts of a bathroom renovation, many advanced home renovation jobs are within reach. With proper direction and equipment hire, you can make small work of the big jobs. And speaking of hiring building equipment and home renovation ideas, you need to look no further than Hirepool.
In this blog, we’re going to list off what we think are 15 advanced home renovation jobs that you can actually do yourself. Along the way, we’ll offer bits of advice, recommended equipment hire and link to helpful how-to guides. Let’s get started!
Benefits of doing home renovation jobs yourself
Before we start listing our top 15 advanced home renovation jobs you can actually do yourself, let’s start with why you should even bother getting on the tools.
You’ll save money
Most contractors don’t come cheap. Getting down in the weeds, so to speak, saves money that you would’ve spent on an expert. After all, home renovation costs add up quickly.
You’ll save time
Especially in today’s day and age, tradies are in hot demand. This means that there can be a large wait for contractors when it comes to home renovation help. Getting stuck in with a DIY attitude means you won’t have to wait as long.
Full creative control
Yes, most tradies are experts, but sometimes instructions can get lost in translation. Whether getting stuck in with a concrete breaker for a new pathway or using garden tools for a new patio design, DIY renovation means you have control of your creative vision. Not only that, but the sense of pride that comes with a house renovation is unrivalled.
Of course, if you are having a go at DIY work, you must follow the building code and get the right consent. But without further ado, here are our top 15 advanced home renovation jobs you can actually do yourself. It also pays to know your limits! It’s good to try new things but make sure you are adequitly prepared and have a good understanding of projects you are taking on. But without further ado, here are our top 15 advanced home renovation jobs you can actually do yourself.
1. Pouring your own pathway
We’ll start our list by heading outside of the home. If you’re choosing to pour concrete on a small scale like a pathway, this is definitely a DIY job you can tackle. With the right equipment hire, concrete can be simple to pour. When it comes to working out how much concrete you use, try an online calculator.
Tools for pouring a pathway
There is a range of gear and safety equipment you may need for pouring a concrete pathway and dealing with cement, including:
- Concrete vibrator
- Wheelbarrow
- Broom
- Concrete float
- Groover
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to help you pour a pathway
At Hirepool, we have a lot of helpful guides to help you pour a pathway or concrete in general. If you need to remove your old pathway to start fresh, read our guide on how to break up concrete. For mixing your concrete, read our guide on how to mix concrete perfectly every time. When pouring out your pathway, check out our guide on how to pour concrete.
2. Building a fence
Next up on the list is building a fence. There are many types of fences, and luckily, you can build many of them yourself. Building a new fence is a fantastic DIY garden idea to add to your property value. If you get good weather, it’s a great job to do out in the sun.
Tools for building a fence
A lot of the tools and safety gear you need to build a fence are available at Hirepool, including:
- Circular saw
- Gas nailer
- Cordless battery drill
- Post hole borer
- Shovel
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to help you build a fence
Our helpful guides make it straightforward to prep and build a fence. To prep for your new fence posts to go in, read our guide on how to dig post holes. When putting your fence up, read our guide on how to cut posts to height and attaching fence rails and palings.
3. Laying vinyl or lino flooring
A lot of people pay for a contractor to lay new flooring when really they could’ve saved money by doing it themselves. This is especially true with laying vinyl or lino flooring. Vinyl and lino are already cheaper than hardwood flooring, so when you do the work yourself, you’re saving big bucks. Each material will come with its own manufacturer’s instructions for installation. So, it’s important to follow that in the first instance.
Tools to lay vinyl or lino flooring
Laying vinyl and lino flooring is made easy with top-of-the-line tools. At Hirepool, we have you covered with a:
- Lino roller
- Belt sander or floor sander
- Concrete grinder
- Floor stripper (optional)
- Floor scrubber or breaker tool (optional)
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to help you lay vinyl or lino flooring
When it comes to laying flooring, we have a whole heap of guides at Hirepool. Our guide on how to lay vinyl and lino gives an extensive overview of the process. To see what not to do, read our blog which goes over DIY flooring mistakes to avoid.
4. Putting up a wall feature
Whether shiplap panelling or board and batten, you can create visual interest with a wall feature. Putting up a wall feature as part of your house renovation is a fantastic way to save money. Google is your friend when it comes to wall feature inspiration, but in terms of getting the job done, we’ve got you covered at Hirepool.
Tools to put up a wall feature
The tools and equipment you need to put up a wall feature will depend on what you choose to go with, but here’s what you may need:
- Drywall lifter
- Nail gun
- Compound sliding saw
- Wallboard sander
- Paint spray gun
- Personal protective equipment
- Wallpaper steamer
- Ladder
Guides to help you put up a wall feature
At Hirepool, we have helpful how-tos for putting up common wall features. Our selection of guides includes how to remove wallpaper easily, shiplap panelling wall DIY and how to create a board and batten DIY wall feature.
5. Building a retaining wall for your garden
When it comes to DIY garden ideas and landscape ideas, a retaining wall is a great option. These barriers not only serve a practical purpose but also look incredible. And thankfully, you don’t need to get in an expert landscaper to get the job done. More often than not, you don’t need building consent, but it pays to check.
Garden tools to build a retaining wall
The style of retaining wall you are building will impact which equipment you need to get the job done. A lot of the gear you may need is available at Hirepool, including:
- Posthole borer
- Concrete mixer
- Wheelbarrow
- Cordless circular saw
- Nail gun
- Mini excavator
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to help you build a retaining wall
Regarding inspiration, we’ve got heaps of landscaping ideas in our blog 10 DIY ideas for a better backyard. For the nitty-gritty of practically putting up your retaining wall, read our guide that covers retaining wall DIY - what you need to know.
6. Exterior house painting
A lot of people choose to hire a pro to paint their house exterior. In saying that, with the right advice, gear and patience, you can do this advanced DIY job yourself. Painting the exterior of your property can take a long time, plus you’re very reliant on the weather. So, it’s important to do a bit of homework before getting started.
Gear needed for exterior house painting
There are several different ways to paint the exterior of your house effectively. Depending on which you choose, you may need to use the following gear:
- Water blaster
- Paint sprayer
- Access gear like scaffolding
- Belt sander
- Tarpaulin
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to help you paint your house
At Hirepool, we have loads of guides for painting, including the exterior of your house. For a comprehensive step-by-step, read our guide on how to paint your house exterior. If you’re choosing to use a sprayer, read our guide on how to use an airless sprayer.
7. Re-lining walls
Re-lining walls is a job that many choose to leave for the experts. However, this advanced DIY job is absolutely something you can pick up on your own with a bit of know how, and council consent. Re-lining a room is a fantastic way to add to your property's value and prepare your walls for a new fantastic finish.
Equipment for re-lining walls
Our top-of-the-line equipment makes it easy for your to re-line walls yourself. Depending on the size of and shape of your room, you may need equipment including:
- Drywall lifter
- Wallboard screw gun
- Wallboard sander
- Ladder or scaffolding
- Sabre saw
- Nail gun
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to re-line walls
When it comes to re-lining a room in general, we have two main guides to put you on the right track. Have a read of our super simple guide to re-lining a room and also how to drywall a ceiling.
8. Building a garden or compost
There are so many amazing DIY garden ideas and landscape ideas to have a go at. Two fantastic options to make an amazing backyard include building a new garden or your own compost. You can do both of these tasks with a bit of prior research.
Tools for building a garden or compost
To help you make light work for whatever DIY garden idea you choose, we’ve got well-serviced equipment at Hirepool. Our range of garden tools include:
- Circular saw
- Drill
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
- Wood chipper (optional)
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to build a garden or compost
Landscaping and garden DIY is made simple with our easy-to-follow guides. For help with your garden, read our guide on how to build a raised garden bed. If you’re looking to get started with compost, our guide on how to create mulch with a wood chipper could help.
9. Floor or wall tiling
Sure, more complex and finicky tiling may be best suited for a professional tiler. But, basic tiling on your floor or walls can be a time and money-saving advanced DIY job to do. Tiles are durable for the interior of your home, especially in wet areas like your bathroom. Read our guide on removing floor tiles if you’re replacing your old tiles.
Gear to get tiling done
We have a large selection of helpful gear to help you get stuck into tiling yourself. Pieces of equipment you may wish to consider include:
- Shovel
- Vacuum
- Floor stripper
- Tile scribe/ cutters
- Personal protective equipment
10. Building your own shelving
You may think that building and putting up a shelf is more a basic home renovation job, but you could be surprised. Building a shelf requires a lot of time and concentration, but with the right gear and advice, you can get the job done easily.
Tools for building shelving
Timber is one of the easiest materials to work with regarding shelving. With that said, we have a selection of tools at Hirepool to help you cut and install timber shelving easily. These tools include:
- Mitre saw or circular saw
- Orbital sander or belt sander
- Drill
- Stud finder
- Personal protective equipment
Guides for building and putting up shelving
When it comes to cutting timber, we have several guides to help you out. Depending on the equipment you choose to use and the job size, you may benefit from reading our guide on using a mitre saw the right way, how to cut curves with a jigsaw and cutting timber to size.
11. Plastering wallboards
/pov-hands-at-work-559442849-583bb17a5f9b58d5b171bd46.jpg?width=2100&height=1575&mode=max)
We’ve already covered how you can easily re-line a room yourself. But, another advanced DIY home renovation job to do with your walls is plastering. Some people choose to get a professional plasterer as part of a large home renovation. However, you can reduce home renovation costs by getting stuck in yourself. Our new guide on how to plaster GIB® plasterboard and other wallboard lining is a fantastic place to start.
Equipment to plaster wallboards
You best believe at Hirepool, we have all the gear you need to get the job done. When it comes to DIY plastering, you may require some of the following equipment:
- Ladder or scaffolding
- Trowel and broad-knife
- Wallboard sander
- Dust collector
- Personal protective equipment
12. Sanding or polishing a wooden floor
There’s a lot riding on your floors regarding your property's value, so you need to sand and refinish to a high standard. This pressure can sometimes put DIYers off from having a go at floor maintenance. However, with a bit of reading up prior, you can sand or refinish your floor yourself.
Tools for sanding and refinishing floors
Sanding or refinishing your floor is made easy with handy gear at Hirepool. Equipment you may need to get the job done includes:
- Floor stripper
- Floor sander
- Floor edger sander
- Belt sander
- Floor polisher
- Vacuum
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to sand or refinish your floor
At Hirepool, we have a handful of helpful guides to help you look after your floor. If you’re working with a hardwood floor, check out our comprehensive guide on sanding a wooden floor or how to polish a wooden floor.
13. Basic landscaping
We’ve already touched on how you can build a retaining wall in your garden. But, there are many other basic landscaping ideas you can also do yourself. When considering home renovation ideas, your garden is always a good place to start.
Landscaping tools you may need
The garden tools you will need depend on what you decide to do. Common pieces of equipment to consider include:
- Lawn roller
- Brushcutter
- Weedeater
- Lawnmower
- Dethatcher
- Rotary hoe
- Aerator
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to help you with basic landscaping
For loads of inspiration and guides to do with gardening, head to our lawn and garden hub. Some particularly helpful guides we’ve picked include setting a budget for landscaping your garden and how to re-seed your lawn like a pro.
14. Install new insulation
Installing new insulation is a job that many people decide to leave to a pro. However, it’s relatively easy to do with a bit of prior research. The most convenient time to install new insulation is when your wall lining is off as part of a larger house renovation. Read our guide that explores everything you need to know about DIY home insulation. When you are installing new insulation, you must be working to the New Zealand healthy home standards.
Gear you need to install new insulation
Thankfully, you don’t need too many tools or equipment for DIY home insulation. Bits and pieces you may wish to consider include:
- Straight edge
- Utility knife
- Finish stapler
- Personal protective equipment, including a face mask
15. Pruning or cutting down a tree
To finish our list, we land on a home reno job that is often left to a professional landscaper. Pruning or cutting down a tree is a task you can do easily and safely with the right gear. It is important to note that you understand your rights and responsibilities when it comes to trees and neighbours. It’s also safe to only tackle trees that aren’t too large.
Equipment needed for pruning or cutting down a tree
Cutting down a tree or pruning is made simple with helpful equipment at Hirepool. Most of this gear you can order online and then pick up from your nearest branch. Considerations include:
- Chainsaw
- Log splitter
- Chipper
- Pruning saw
- Personal protective equipment
Guides to assist with pruning or cutting trees
We've got lots of handy guides to help you make light work of pruning or cutting trees. It could be helpful to check out our guide on how to use a log splitter, how to start a chainsaw or top chainsaw tips and tricks.
Feeling confident for your own home renovation?
These are just some advanced home renovation jobs that you can actually do yourself. It’s always important to keep safety top of mind for property maintenance and renovating. When planning what you want to do, check that you’re following regulations and restrictions. Head over to our DIY hub for more tips and gear to make home reno work easy. If you don’t know where to start, read our blog that covers renovating for resale, what projects to tackle first.
