10 home repairs that shouldn't require a handyman

1. Simple toilet tweaks

Manfredini says he often fields queries about commode woes. Problems with the bowl or tank can often be mended without phoning a pro, he says.

"The very first thing people have to do is get comfortable with the toilet," Manfredini says. "You have to understand how the thing works because there's so much you can do yourself."

If a toilet doesn't flush properly, the holes beneath the rim are likely clogged. A mirror, a pipe cleaner and some scraping usually clears those jets. To quiet a toilet that "runs," meaning that water is constantly filling the tank, you may need to replace the flapper valve, which can become brittle and deformed. This requires buying a new flapper, pulling off the old valve and installing the new one.

Time the job should take a novice: 30 seconds.

Money saved doing it yourself: $70. A flapper valve costs about $5, Manfredini says. A plumber usually costs around $75.

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2. Replacing a light switch

There is an element of danger involved with fixing a broken wall switch, but it should not require outside help, Manfredini says. The first step, always: Turn off the breaker powering that switch. If you need extra safety assurance, buy a circuit tester. When placed near switches or outlets, a tester beeps if it senses electricity.

To replace a malfunctioning switch, you must buy a new one, remove four screws — two for the cover plate, two for the switch — unhook two wires, unscrew two terminals, swap out the old switch for the new one and reattach all parts. Some advice for rookies: Before dismantling the device, snap a photo of it to make sure it looks the same when reassembled.

Time the job should take a novice: Five to seven minutes.

Money saved doing it yourself: $100 or more. A service call for a licensed electrician is at least $100 to $125. Replacing the switch yourself costs about $2.50.

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3. Tuck-pointing

Although professionals might be a better bet to replace or touch up full brick walls, less-handy folks can take on smaller brick-repair jobs outside — say, fixing a few loose bricks, Manfredini says.

The fix entails chipping out any loose mortar, mixing new mortar, recentering the brick and applying the mortar with a pointing tool for a clean look. You can color-match your mortar with tint.

Remember, however, that when you mix mortar, it will darken as it dries.

"The mortar doesn't hold the bricks together; the mortar keeps the bricks apart," Manfredini says. "It's almost like decorating a cake."

Time the job should take a novice: 20 to 30 minutes.

Money saved doing it yourself: At least $75. If you hire a professional, it would cost at least $100. Doing this yourself would cost less than $25.

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4. Installing a dimmer switch

Two things to remember before starting:
1. Cut the power to the switch at the breaker panel, then test for electricity.
2. Determine the number of switches controlling the light fixture that you are replacing.

If just one switch is involved, you can buy a single-pole dimmer. If two switches turn the light on and off, you'll need to buy a three-way dimmer. Fluorescent lights and lights on fans require special dimmer switches.

Adding mood lighting via a dimmer device is one of the cheapest, least-challenging ways to soften the feel of a room, says Eileen Claar, who writes for Home Depot's online "How-To Community."

One aspect that makes this task relatively easy: Dimmer switches typically fit in the existing wall circuit boxes. One of the primary talents also you'll need to tap is simply telling the difference between colored wires.

Time the job should take a novice: 45 minutes.

Money saved doing it yourself: About $75. Adding five dimmers would cost about $84, or $16.80 per dimmer, according to diyornot.com. An electrician would charge about $159 to replace five standard light switches with dimmers.

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5. Replacing a broken floor tile

Restoring your entire tile floor isn't necessary if you have just a few chipped or cracked tiles. That job is graded as yet another "easy" fix on the Home Depot's "skill scale," Claar says.

In this case, however, you may need to buy — or, better yet, rent — a few tools that most first-time homeowners don't have. These include a grout saw, scoring tool, cold chisel and bricklayer's chisel. Safety goggles also are a must.

Time the job should take a novice: Two hours, which includes assembling the necessary tools and products, prepping the surface, cutting the damaged tiles, removing old adhesive, setting the new tile, applying the grout and cleaning up.

Money saved doing it yourself: As much as $50, according to DIYNetwork.com, a home-improvement site. It can be more, depending on the minimum fees that repair professionals charge for house calls.

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6. Patching a concrete crack

Even a small hole or tiny crevice in a concrete driveway or walkway can lead to big costs if left unattended, especially in colder climates, Manfredini says

"If water gets down in there, it forms ice and it makes the crack bigger," he says. "What was a quick, little concrete patch may later require a professional to come out (to remove the existing pad and pour a new one), and now, it's going to cost a thousand bucks."

Time the job should take a novice: About one hour, which includes assembling the necessary tools and products, preparing the surface and applying the seal, Claar says. Surface prep is "the most important step — be sure to clean out the debris thoroughly with a stiff fiber or wire brush then vacuum with a wet/dry vac," she says. Longer cracks may take several hours to patch.

Money saved doing it yourself: At least $3.25 per square foot. For minor sidewalk patches, it will cost you about 25 cents per square foot. A contractor may charge you about $3.50 to $5.50 per square foot, according to Quikrete, a concrete manufacturer.

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7. Replacing a faucet

Make sure you have lots of towels ready.

One common frustration that arises when replacing aging faucets: Old metal nuts that hold the appliance in place beneath the sink can corrode over time, seizing them tight. If you encounter this issue, squirt the nut with penetrating oil and let the liquid work for a few minutes. Then try twisting the nut with a wrench.

Time the job should take a novice: 55 minutes.

Money saved doing it yourself: $70 to $92, not including major plumbing work. The average cost to hire a plumber to install a faucet runs between about $198 and $259, according to homewyse.com, a home-repair site.

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8. Installing a ceiling fan

The first step here is to turn off all power to the existing light fixture, if there is one, and ensure that no electricity is flowing to where you'll be working.

After you secure a new mounting bracket to an electrical box on the ceiling, you'll start on the ground floor, literally.

"Begin assembling the fan on the floor," says Mike Scott, Lowe's' vice president of merchandising for home décor.

All the new wires should be connected per the manufacturer's instructions, he says.

Time the job should take a novice: 30 minutes to an hour.

Money saved doing it yourself: At least $100, Scott says. The cost can vary depending on location and labor.

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9. Removing a stripped or broken screw

Even the handiest homeowners can strip a screw or snap off its head if they're rushing or pressing too hard with their power screwdriver. Some folks also buy old houses in which the walls and door frames are dotted with worn screws.

If a stripped screw has not already been drilled flush to the surface, a pair of locking pliers, slowly turned counterclockwise, can twist it free.

But if a broken or stripped screw is fully embedded and you need to remove it, anything can happen. In more difficult scenarios, the fix can involve digging out the buried screw with a utility knife or a drill bit, then patching the hole.

Time the job should take a novice: A few seconds, if the screw is still above the surface. If the task involves digging out a worn screw and patching a hole, expect to invest an hour or more.

Money saved doing it yourself: More than $100. You may need to buy a new tool, depending on the scope of problem: $10 for a pair of long-nose pliers, $20 for a screw extractor set or $11 a plug cutter. If you call a professional, expect to pay $60 to $125 per hour, according to cost-estimation site CostHelper.com; some outfits charge a minimum of $150 to $350.

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10. Repairing your gutters and downspouts

If rainwater isn't properly directed off of your roof and away from your windows, walls and foundation, it can eventually lead to costly drywall, window and roof fixes. Thus, it pays to ensure your gutters and downspouts are working properly — and fixing them if they're not.

"Water can cause thousands of dollars' worth of damage to a home," says David Ashton, Lowe's vice president of merchandising for hard lines. "It is a good idea to inspect your gutters twice a year. Make certain that they are not leaking and that they are clean and free of debris.

Downspouts can be replaced in minutes, he says, and repairs to the gutter itself also can be quick.

Time the job should take a novice: You can patch a 2-foot section of gutter in about an hour, according to Home Depot's experts.

Money saved doing it yourself: About $200, Ashton says, but that depends on the repairs required.

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