It may be tempting to have the neighborhood handyman help you replace your roof, but future costs could far exceed the money you'll save up if he's not a licensed contractor.
"Most home improvement projects require permits and an unlicensed contractor cannot legally pull permits," Andrew Helling, a Nebraska property manager and owner of REthority.com, told Business Insider. "This may result in a fine, or even worse, damage to your property resulting from shoddy work."
Some projects that usually require permits are demolishing a section of your house, changing electrical wiring or plumbing, converting a garage to livable space, and even replacing your water heater. Helling said homeowners can avoid making this mistake by calling their city's code enforcement department, which keeps all contractor licenses on file.