Make a striking impression of your home by adding a weather vane, an ornament atop your home, garage or outbuilding, to catch the wind. It can be a distinctive crowning touch on a rooftop to distinguish your home, and it’s a simple way to see which way the wind is blowing.

You’ll find a wide variety of weather vanes in home accessory catalogs, home and garden centers and online. Type “weather vane” into a search engine, and you’ll find several to choose from. You’ll need to buy a mounting bracket that holds the vane in place. The mount is fastened to the building with lag bolts. Some brackets are designed to fit over the roof shingles; others are designed to be installed on the sidewall at the peak of the roof. And some adjust and fit over a ridge vent.

A contractor will charge $605 to install a good-quality 25-by 21-inch weather vane, including labor and material. You can buy the unit and bracket for $350 and install it yourself, assuming you’re comfortable working on the roof, which can be dangerous. If you decide to do it yourself you’ll need a ladder, an electric drill and a wrench. It’s handy to have a helper on the ground. If high-rise work is not your style, ask the retailer if they can recommend an installer, or hire a carpenter to do the job.

To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.

Pro Cost — DIY Cost — Pro time — DIY Time — DIY Savings — Percent Saved

$605 — $350 — 4 — 5.5 — $255 — 42 — Percent