DIY experts, influencers and contestants on home renovation shows like The Block make even the toughest DIY projects look easy. What we don’t see behind the scenes though is the expert advice they receive from trade professionals on the more challenging jobs.

If you don’t know what you are doing, things can quickly go very wrong. Don’t be tempted to have a go to save some dollars because you could in fact find yourself spending far more when things go pear-shaped. Some of these projects are also dangerous (potentially life threatening) when attempted by anyone other than a licensed professional.

Here are 5 DIY projects you should leave to the experts.

1. Removing walls
Sure, open plan living is all the rage today, but that doesn’t mean you should start knocking down walls yourself to achieve the effect. Unless you know exactly what you are doing, you could be knocking down a wall that is bearing load and this may not be obvious. If you insist on doing this yourself, at least get in an expert to give it the all clear first.

2. Dealing with power
If you have lights flickering and power shorting out, don’t try and fix this yourself, unless of course you are a licensed electrician. ALWAYS leave anything to do with electricity to a professional. It’s not worth the risk.

3. Mould in the bathroom or on internal walls
You may be surprised by this one. While you can remove the mould yourself easily enough, that is not getting to the cause of the problem. Generally, mould is a sign of moisture build-up or a ventilation issue. This could mean a significant underlying issue that needs to be diagnosed by a licensed professional.

4. Efflorescence on bricks or tiles
Efflorescence is a white chalky residue found on natural stone, masonry or tiling. Much like mould, the root cause of efflorescence is not easy to find by anyone other than an expert. If your external brickwork is starting to show signs of this white chalky residue, it may be coming from your mortar. Speak to a good local builder or bricky to get it sorted.

5. Leaking roof
There is a reason why roofing is a specialist trade. There is also good reason why roofers wear protective gear like harnesses when dealing with heights. Leave anything height-related, like a leaking roof, to a licensed professional. So who should you call? If you have a metal roof, you’ll need a roof plumber; for tiles, you’ll need a roof tiler. If you have a slate roof, you’ll need a slate specialist.