Not every job in an older house is the same. Changing a bulb you can reach from the floor and reaching up to a ceiling fixture are different tasks, even though both sit on the same list. This article gives you a way to sort the jobs someone must do into the ones a family member can handle and the ones that belong to a hired hand, using reach, height, and consequence as the test.
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Sort by reach and height
List each job in one sentence. Mark whether it can be done from the floor with both feet down, from a sturdy step stool, or only with a ladder or a lift. Anything that needs you to stand on something you would not trust with your own weight belongs on the hire list. So does anything above the top of a door, or anything that keeps your arms above your shoulders for more than a minute.
Sort by what happens if it goes wrong
Ask what the worst outcome would be if the job were done badly. A bulb put back crooked is a nuisance. A gutter pulled loose and dropped onto the walk is a hazard to anyone passing below. Electrical work beyond a simple switch, and anything involving gas or the water supply, belongs to a licensed trade, and a family member should not improvise there. Work that could injure someone who walks by, or cause damage that would be hard to undo, should be hired out.
Keep the family jobs small and named
Some jobs suit a family member well: replacing a battery within easy reach, wiping a surface, changing a filter that sits in an accessible spot, or checking that a grab point is tight. Write those jobs down with who does them and how often, so they do not become a quiet favor that only you know about. Keeping them small is what lets you do them safely on a tired day.
Check the hired hand in writing
When you hire for a high or heavy job, ask for the scope on paper, including what will be cleaned up, what will not be done, and how long the work should take. Ask for proof of liability and workers' coverage, and for the name of the person who will be on the ladder. Ask for two references from homes similar to yours. If a company will not put these things in writing, you have learned something before the work starts. For the wider order of what to read next, see the order to read on Start here.