10 of the Toughest Home Improvement Jobs
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Masonry and Bricklaying
Masons and bricklayers are responsible for creating aesthetically pleasing facades with bricks and structural stone blocks. Imagine handling thousands of pounds of brick or concrete and performing more than hundreds of forward-bending tasks each day. “Masons must be able to follow detailed building instructions, break or cut brick and stone to the proper sizes, mix and apply mortar and grout, assemble and finish the required structures,” notes U.S. News and World Report. Masons themselves note, “The work is physically laborious, usually performed on scaffolding and requires manual finesse, attention to design detail and endurance. Working outdoors with heavy and sharp-edged stone and brick, masons suffer higher injury and illness rates than industry averages, with muscle strains being a common ailment.”
Here’s how to repair mortar joints.
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Asbestos Removal
If you’re planning a remodel in an older home, there’s a good chance you may run into asbestos, which can be found in floor tiles, siding, insulation or pipe wrap. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that asbestos-containing materials that aren’t damaged or disturbed aren’t likely to pose a health risk, however, the agency strongly suggests hiring an asbestos-abatement specialist to take care of any asbestos removal or repairs. These specialists have the right tools and ventilation equipment to take on asbestos jobs safely.
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Roofing
When it comes to physically demanding jobs, both contractors and homeowners say that roofing is the most difficult. The CraftJack survey put roofing at the top of the list, out of 32 types of home improvement jobs. Not only do roofers have to deal with rough weather conditions that range from downright steamy to frigid and snowy, but falls can be deadly. A CBS News Report says that roofers perform the fourth deadliest job in America (behind pilots, fisherman and loggers), with 39.7 deaths per 100,000.
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