Repair guides

Every guide. One honest answer.

A growing library of home repair guides, organized by category. Each one starts with the question that matters most: should you fix it yourself, or hire a professional?

Plumbing

Toilets, faucets, drains, and water heaters. The repairs that come up most in any home.

• DIY-Friendly

  Running Toilet

  20–30 min · $10–350

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• DIY-Friendly

  Leaking Faucet

  10 min – 1 hr · $0–600

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• DIY-Friendly

  Clogged Drain

  15 min – 1 hr · $0–1,600

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• DIY-Friendly

  Toilet Won't Flush

  5 – 45 min · $0–800

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• Hire a Professional

  Water Heater Not Producing Hot Water

  10–20 min · $0–750

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• DIY if Experienced

  Sump Pump Not Turning On or Running Constantly

  5–30 min · $0–600

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• DIY if Experienced

  Low Water Pressure Throughout the House

  20 min–1 hr · $0–1,500

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• DIY if Experienced

  Frozen Pipes

  20–60 min · $0–5,000

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• DIY if Experienced

  Toilet Rocking or Leaking at the Base

  15–45 min · $0–700

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Electrical

Outlets, wiring, and circuits, where knowing when to stop matters most.

• Hire a Professional

  Dead Electrical Outlet

  5 – 30 min · $0–350

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• DIY if Experienced

  GFCI Outlet Won't Reset

  5–30 min · $0–300

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• Hire a Professional

  Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping

  10–20 min · $0–2,500

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• DIY if Experienced

  Light Switch or Fixture Flickering

  5–15 min · $0–300

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• DIY-Friendly

  Smoke Detector Beeping or Chirping

  5–15 min · $0–260

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• DIY if Experienced

  Ceiling Fan Wobbling or Noisy

  10–30 min · $0–350

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• DIY-Friendly

  Doorbell Not Working

  5–30 min · $0–350

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Heating & Cooling

Air conditioning and climate control systems.

• Hire a Professional

  AC Not Cooling

  15–30 min · $0–2,800+

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• Hire a Professional

  Furnace Blowing Cold Air / Not Heating

  10–15 min · $0–3,000

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• DIY if Experienced

  Thermostat Not Working or Blank Display

  5–15 min · $0–500

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• DIY if Experienced

  AC Leaking Water

  15–45 min · $0–1,500

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• DIY if Experienced

  Heater Short-Cycling

  5–20 min · $0–950

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• DIY if Experienced

  Strange Noise from AC or Furnace

  10–30 min · $0–950

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Appliances

Dishwashers, garbage disposals, and the everyday machines that occasionally act up.

• DIY if Experienced

  Garbage Disposal Not Working

  5 – 45 min · $0–600

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• DIY if Experienced

  Dishwasher Leaking

  10 min – 1.5 hrs · $0–400

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• DIY if Experienced

  Refrigerator Not Cooling

  10–45 min (plus up to 48 hrs to defrost, if needed) · $0–800

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• DIY if Experienced

  Washing Machine Not Draining

  10–30 min · $0–500

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• DIY if Experienced

  Dryer Not Heating

  10–30 min · $0–350

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• DIY if Experienced

  Oven or Stove Burner Not Igniting

  5–30 min · $0–450

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• DIY if Experienced

  Washing Machine Won't Spin or Agitate

  10–30 min · $0–600

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Garage, Doors & Windows

Garage doors, entry doors, sliding doors, and windows, the moving parts that let you in and out.

• DIY if Experienced

  Garage Door Won't Open

  15–30 min · $0–350

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• DIY if Experienced

  Window Won't Stay Open or Is Stuck

  15–45 min · $0–500

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• DIY if Experienced

  Sliding Glass Door Off Track or Hard to Slide

  20–45 min · $0–2,500

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• DIY-Friendly

  Door Won't Latch or Lock Properly

  15–45 min · $0–400

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Exterior & Structural

Roofs, gutters, driveways, decks, fences, and the surfaces that take the brunt of the weather.

• DIY if Experienced

  Gutter Clogged or Leaking

  30–90 min · $0–5,000

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• Hire a Professional

  Roof Shingle Missing or Damaged

  10–20 min · $0–6,000

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• DIY-Friendly

  Small Drywall Hole or Crack Repair

  20–90 min · $0–1,200

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• DIY if Experienced

  Cracked Driveway or Walkway Concrete

  30–60 min · $0–6,000

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• DIY if Experienced

  Deck Board Loose or Rotting

  20–90 min · $0–2,500

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• DIY if Experienced

  Fence Post Loose or Leaning

  30–90 min · $0–500

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• DIY if Experienced

  Peeling Exterior Paint

  1–4 hrs for a spot repair · $0–7,000

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