By Gene and Katie Hamilton

These budget-wise DIY projects involve simple repairs, removing unwanted coatings and wallcoverings and restoring and renewing surfaces. The whopping 75% or more savings is what they have is common. Some of the jobs are too small for a contractor. Others are so messy and time-intensive they're ideal for a DIYer willing to put in good old fashioned grunt work that requires more time than talent. Take a look at these jobs and decide which are worth your time and effort.

Small and Quick Fixes

Cost to Replace Drawer Glides It's not often one ponders their drawer glides but just let them get off track, break or sag and the drawer that normally opens effortlessly becomes difficult to use. Enter - new drawer glides.

Cost to Repair Damaged Wallboard Repairing wallboard is one of those nuisance jobs that contractors don't like because it's a process with several steps: cleaning out the hole, applying patching compound and sanding it smooth.

Removing Coatings and Wallcoverings

Cost to Remove Wallpaper Stripping walls of unwanted wallpaper is the perfect job for a wannabe do-it-yourselfer because it requires no skills and no experience. The job does, however, require some inexpensive tools and material and a fair amount of time and patience.

Cost to Remove Texture Paint The rustic appeal of a texture finish is popular with many people, but not everyone likes the rough surface. If you're one of them, and want to remove texture paint, it's not an easy task.

Restore and Renew Surfaces

Cost to Regrout Ceramic Tile If you have a ceramic tile floor or walls, you know it's a hard-working surface. But if the grout becomes stained or cracked it can lose its holding power and damage the underlayment.

Cost to Renew a Worn Staircase In a busy household, a staircase gets traffic from dawn to dusk. So scheduling a downtime to work on a damaged one might be the biggest challenge. Damage can range from worn finish to loose spindles or a wobbly baluster.