12 Home Repairs You Can Do Yourself and Save Hundreds

You’re Paying Someone Else for Work You Could Easily Handle

The average homeowner spends $1,200 to $3,000 per year on home repairs and maintenance, and a significant chunk of that goes to labor costs for jobs that require no special training, no expensive equipment, and less than an hour of your time. Contractors and handymen charge $75 to $150 per hour for most service calls, and the minimum visit fee means even a ten-minute fix costs you $100 or more just for someone to show up. Meanwhile, the actual repair often involves a part that costs $5 to $20 and a technique you could learn from a three-minute video.

These are 12 of the most common home repairs families pay professionals for that are genuinely doable by anyone with basic tools and a willingness to try. For each one, you’ll see what a contractor typically charges versus what the DIY fix costs, and how hard it actually is on a scale you can trust.

Running Toilet

A toilet that runs constantly or cycles on and off by itself is usually caused by a worn flapper valve, which is the rubber seal at the bottom of the tank. The flapper costs $5 to $10, takes five minutes to replace, and requires zero tools. Turn off the water valve behind the toilet, flush to empty the tank, unhook the old flapper from the overflow tube, and snap the new one into place. Turn the water back on and the problem is solved. A plumber charges $100 to $200 for this exact repair. If the flapper isn’t the issue, the fill valve or float may need adjusting or replacing, which is still a $10 to $15 part and a 20-minute job with a YouTube guide.

Squeaky Floors

Squeaks happen when the subfloor pulls away from the floor joists below, creating movement that produces noise when you walk over that spot. For hardwood floors, the fix is a pair of trim screws driven through the floor into the joist at the squeak location. Use a stud finder to locate the joist, drill a pilot hole, and drive a trim-head screw (which has a tiny head that sits below the surface) into the joist. Fill the screw head with matching wood filler. For carpeted floors, a product called Squeeeeek No More lets you drive a scored screw through the carpet and subfloor into the joist, then snap off the screw head below the carpet surface. Cost: $5 to $20 in materials. A handyman charges $75 to $150 per area.

Loose Door Handles and Hinges

A loose door handle usually just needs the screws tightened. If the screws won’t hold because the holes in the door or frame are stripped, the fix is simple: remove the screws, fill the holes with wooden toothpicks dipped in wood glue, let the glue dry, snap off the protruding ends, and re-drive the screws. The toothpicks give the screws fresh wood to grip. A sagging door where the top corner rubs against the frame is typically caused by loose hinge screws. Tighten them with the toothpick trick, or replace the top hinge screw with a 3-inch screw that reaches into the wall framing behind the door jamb, pulling the hinge and door back into alignment. Cost: essentially free with supplies you already have. A handyman visit: $75 to $125.

Dripping Showerhead

A showerhead that drips after you turn off the water usually has mineral buildup restricting the internal seals, or the thread seal tape where it connects to the pipe is worn out. Unscrew the showerhead by hand or with an adjustable wrench (wrap the jaws with a cloth to avoid scratching the finish). Soak the showerhead in white vinegar overnight to dissolve mineral deposits. Clean the threads on the pipe, wrap them with three to four layers of new PTFE (plumber’s) tape in a clockwise direction, and screw the showerhead back on. Cost: under $3. A plumber call: $100 to $175.

Broken or Cracked Grout

Cracked grout between tiles isn’t just an eyesore. It lets water penetrate behind the tiles, causing mold growth and potential structural damage to the wall or floor underneath. Repair it by scraping out the damaged grout with a grout removal tool or utility knife. Vacuum the dust from the joints, then press new grout into the gaps with a rubber grout float held at a 45-degree angle. Wipe excess grout off the tile faces with a damp sponge before it hardens. Let it cure for 24 to 48 hours, then seal the grout lines with a grout sealer to prevent moisture penetration and staining. Cost: $10 to $20 in materials. Contractor price: $150 to $300 depending on the area size.

Sticking Doors

A door that sticks against the frame when opening or closing is usually swollen from humidity or slightly misaligned from settling. First, check if tightening the hinge screws (see the loose hinge fix above) resolves the alignment. If the door itself is rubbing, identify the exact contact point by looking for wear marks or rubbed paint on the door edge or frame. For minor sticking, sand or plane the contact area with a sanding block or hand plane until the door swings freely. For more significant misalignment, you may need to deepen the hinge mortise (the recessed area where the hinge sits) by chiseling a thin layer from the wood. Cost: free to $10 for sandpaper. Handyman visit: $75 to $150.

Leaky Faucet

This is one of the most common repairs families call a plumber for, and one of the simplest to handle yourself. A standard leaky faucet repair involves replacing a worn washer or cartridge, which costs $3 to $15 in parts and takes 20 minutes. A plumber charges $150 to $250 for the same job. The washer or cartridge wears out over time from normal use, and replacing it restores the watertight seal that stops the drip. Anyone with an adjustable wrench can handle this repair after watching a model-specific tutorial online.

Clogged Drain

Before you call a plumber for a slow or clogged drain, try the baking soda and vinegar method or a basic drain snake. Most household clogs are caused by hair and soap buildup within the first few feet of the drain opening and are entirely fixable without professional help. A drain snake costs $10 to $25, works on virtually any drain in your house, and lasts forever. A plumber charges $100 to $300 to clear a single drain, and the solution is often the exact same snake you could have used yourself.

Worn Caulk Around Tubs and Sinks

Old caulk that’s yellowed, cracked, or growing mold needs to be removed and replaced, not painted over or bleached. A tube of silicone caulk costs $5 to $8 and covers every tub and sink in your bathroom. The process takes about an hour including removal of the old caulk, cleaning, and application. A handyman charges $100 to $200 for the same work. Clean, fresh caulk instantly makes a bathroom look newer and prevents water damage behind walls and fixtures.

Replacing a Light Switch or Outlet Cover

Cracked, yellowed, or painted-over outlet covers and switch plates are one of the easiest and cheapest upgrades in any home. A pack of standard white outlet covers costs $5 to $10 for a pack of ten. Unscrew the old cover, snap or screw the new one on. Done. If the switch itself is loose or not functioning properly, replacing the actual switch costs $2 to $5 per switch and involves turning off the breaker, removing two screws and two wire connections, and installing the new switch in the same configuration. An electrician charges $75 to $150 per switch for this five-minute job.

Replacing Weather Stripping

Drafty doors and windows waste energy and run up your heating and cooling bills. Worn weather stripping is usually the cause, and replacing it is a peel-and-stick operation. Remove the old stripping, clean the surface, measure and cut new stripping to length, and press it into place. A roll of self-adhesive weather stripping costs $5 to $15 and covers multiple doors. Having an energy auditor or contractor address drafts typically costs $100 to $300, and they’re often doing the same simple replacement.

Patching Small Holes in Walls

Nail holes, doorknob dents, and small cracks in drywall are among the most common wall damage in any family home. A tub of spackling paste and a putty knife handle nail holes in under five minutes. Larger holes up to four inches use a self-adhesive mesh patch covered with joint compound. Either way, the materials cost under $10 and the technique is straightforward. A handyman charges $75 to $150 per visit for the same repair, and most of that cost is the service call fee rather than the actual labor or materials.

Fixing a Garbage Disposal Jam

When a garbage disposal hums but won’t spin, it’s jammed, not broken. Every disposal has an Allen wrench slot on the bottom. Insert the wrench (most disposals come with one, or use a standard 1/4-inch Allen wrench) and manually rotate the grinding plate back and forth until the obstruction clears. Press the reset button on the bottom of the unit, run cold water, and turn it on. This fixes the problem in 90% of cases. Cost: free. A plumber call for a “broken” disposal: $100 to $200, and they do the exact same thing before even considering a replacement.

Start With One and Build From There

You don’t need to tackle all twelve of these at once. Pick the one that’s been bothering you the longest, watch a five-minute video specific to your situation, and give it a try. The confidence that comes from successfully completing one home repair makes the next one feel less intimidating, and before long you’ll find yourself fixing things automatically instead of reaching for the phone. The tools you accumulate along the way (a basic wrench set, a drill, a putty knife, plumber’s tape, spackle) work across dozens of different repairs and pay for themselves after a single use. Every home repair you handle yourself is $100 to $300 you didn’t spend on a contractor, and that money adds up fast across a year of homeownership. The skills are learnable, the tools are cheap, and the satisfaction of fixing something with your own hands is worth more than the savings.