Spending so much time at home during the past two years has exposed the pluses and minuses of our properties. The main living space might shine and sparkle, but the bathrooms look old and dreary by comparison. You've probably also noticed deficiencies in some of its core systems, such as heating, plumbing and electrical.

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The desire to repair, update or bring more comfort to our spaces led to a push in home improvement projects in 2020 that has dipped only slightly to start 2021, according to the nonprofit Home Improvement Research Institute. In fact, a recent report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies said that Americans spent nearly $420 billion on projects in owner-occupied and rental properties in 2020 Homeowners are expected to spend record numbers on improvements through the middle of 2022. Between a hesitancy to bring strangers into their homes as the virus spread and a desire to save money, do-it-yourselfers tried to give many projects a try themselves.

But that might prove illegal.

"The legality of the repairs you perform on your property are subject to the rules and regulations of your local building department," said Bill Samuel, who runs Blue Ladder Development in Chicago. "The rules will vary from each town but in general you will be required to pull a permit for any property alterations beyond basic cosmetic improvements. Not pulling the required permits is considered performing illegal work. Many villages also require specific work to be performed by a licensed professional."

Before you strap on your tool belt, read the wise words that home improvement pros and others have to share about the dangers of DIY projects.

Cutting Down Large Trees
"One of the things we deal with regularly in our line of work is homeowners that are wanting their landscapers to remove large trees or that want to remove them on their own. We're told this is fine to do if you're careful and have the right tools. Maybe not the smartest idea, but perfectly legal if it's your property," said Dan Bailey, president of WikiLawn Lawn Care."This isn't always true, though. In some states, it's illegal to cut down large trees if you're not an arborist or don't have [the] certification to do so...So if you're wanting to clear out large trees, definitely don't do it yourself. It's dangerous to self and property, and in many cases, it will get you fined."According to Forbes, the cost can vary based on how large the tree is and how old it is. Smaller trees can cost around $400, while larger trees cost about $2,000 to remove. The average cost for tree removal is $1,200.POLL: What Do You Think of Elon Musk Buying Twitter?