Toughest Jobs in Home Improvement

When it comes to the ambitious DIY’er, the big question that runs through everyone’s mind when considering a new home-improvement project is a simple but profound one: Can I do that? It’s a very subjective question, and the line between “Yes I can” and “No I can’t” is different for everyone.

When it comes to what you can and can’t do, there’s a lot to unpack. For one thing, the HIR staff is of the mindset that with enough determination and perseverance, you can do anything. The sky is the limit. But is it worth your time investment to learn a new skill-set you’ll never use again to complete a single job? Can you justify the cost of specialized tools required for a certain project? Will you be biting off more than you can chew by tackling a big job alone, when a pro would be using a multi-man crew? Any smart DIY’er will also assess their personal physical and psychological limitations. (As for me, I don’t like heights, so I don’t spend much time doing roof work.)

Everyday Americans often misunderstand how much physical labor and hard-earned skill is required for most construction-related contractor jobs. The team at CraftJack surveyed 1,609 contractors and 652 consumers, asking them to rank 32 types of contractor work to find out what sort of work is most physically grueling and what’s hardest to learn and master.

The Results

At a glance, it appears that both consumers and contractors resoundingly agree that roofing and demolition are the most physically demanding trade jobs.

Consumers and contractors also agreed that electrical, carpentry and HVAC are the three toughest trades to learn and master.

Of all the trades, you might be surprised to learn that painters most frequently said their job is the most physically demanding. Flooring contractors said their specialty was the most difficult to master.