Collaborative Post¦ In the darkest days of the Pandemic, did you find yourself taking on DIY projects that you’d usually run 1000 miles from?
Self-sufficiency rocks. It saves money and builds confidence when you pull off a coup like cutting your partner’s hair, repairing broken chairs or even knitting a family set of wildlife-inspired onesies (we’re tigers every time by the way).
But overstretch yourself with DIY and you could end up with a damaged home and worse – broken body. No one wants to end up in a mess or casualty, so here are five things that (in our opinion) you shouldn’t DIY.
1. External Rendering
Your home looks great with a facelift. So how hard can it be to buy render gear yourself, mix it up and slap it on? Turns out that this is actually a skill tradespeople are trained for – try it yourself and your home will likely look like it has severe acne. Save yourself hassle and find a reliable roughcaster on comparison sites like TrustATrader – you won’t regret it.
2. Plumbing
If you’ve no pro training in plumbing and attempt to replace pipes and unblock drains yourself, quite frankly you deserve the odious mess you’ll get yourself into. Just don’t forget to share the pics on Facebook so we can have a laugh! Actually, it’s sometimes better to hire a plumber even for minor repairs – for instance if you reseal a shower tray incorrectly, spillages can cause leaks and damage in the floor/ceiling below.
3. Garden decking and walkways
Got a vision for your back garden that’s something between an Ewok village and an RHS Chelsea Flower Show exhibit? But you’ve not been near any green space for any length of time since you were stung by a bee when you were five? Don’t do it. Settle for a less ambitious layout or, if you’re determined to install something more ground-breaking, talk to experts like Ormiston Wire – they did a lovely job for Kew Gardens.
4. Rewiring
Fiddle about with sockets, wires and plugs as a non-electrician and you’re in for a shock. Literally. And if you’re even thinking about rewiring your whole house, forget it. Removing all of the wiring throughout your house and replacing it with a safer new installation is a pro job, but shop around online and you can find good prices from trusted tradespeople. If you’re in the Hills District, take a look at calibreconnect.com.au/electrician-hills-district/. If you’re in the UK, Checkatrade is a decent place to start your quest.
5. Painting
At face value, painting seems like the most accessible trade for a layperson to ‘have a go’ at. And if you’re reasonably neat, have decent brushes, a bottle of white spirit and some old sheets, you likely won’t go wrong with some basic-level emulsion jobs. However, if you have high ceilings and unusual nooks and crannies, you might make a hash of it and end up risking injury from a fall. Take a look at this pro v amateur painting guide from House Beautiful for more info if you can’t decide.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.
Have you tried to DIY something then immediately regretted it? Let us know in the comments!