When should you call in a professional for repairs to your home? When should you simply do the work yourself? First, consider the nature of the job. Has a hot water pipe burst or has the furnance shut down? Crises of this caliber usually call for skills beyond those of the average homeowner, so be sure to have the numbers of a few recommended electricians, plumbers and roofers on hand for unfortunate events.

However, most repair jobs fall into a more mundane category, such as re-grouting the bathroom tile or righting a door that’s sagging on its hinges. Opting to take on these types of repairs yourself can save you money, but don’t be seduced by possible savings. Spending lots of time producing poor quality work, buying expensive tools you’ll never use again and having to possibly call in a pro to do the original job — as well as clean up your subsequent mess — usually doesn’t make sense. Be honest with yourself about your experience, your skills, and how much patience or time you have to learn more if necessary. Consider your own safety, as well. You don’t want to place yourself in a dangerous spot — like on a high sloping roof — or unwittingly create a hazard in your home by improperly “fixing” electrical wiring. Whatever your decision about who performs the work, you should just make sure it gets done. Your home is likely your single greatest investment and its condition should be a top priority.

If you choose the do-it-yourself route, the rewards could be worthwhile, both financially and personally. Of course, you will find a vast selection of home repair resources at any library or bookstore, and do-it-yourselfer or not, every homeowner should have a basic repair reference on hand — just in case. Plus, “reference” doesn’t simply mean “book” anymore. CDs, DVDs and online resources abound: you might want to bookmark the Web site for About.com and its “Home Repair Section” for easy links to everything from “Garbage Disposal Grinding” to ““How to Shut Off a Water Supply.” Finally, visit This Old House online and check out their very useful “Repair and Maintenance” and “Tools & Materials” sections.