With the smell of spring in the air, the DIY season has officially begun. While birds start building their nests, we suddenly get the urge to climb up ladders, decorate our bedrooms, put up shelves and finally install the base moulding.
Unfortunately, we’re not all as dexterous as we would like to be. But by keeping the following tips in mind, everyone can make the most of their DIY adventures.
Plan your project before picking up your tools
It can be a real turn-off having to run to the shop four times to get paint, brushes and paint rollers, plastic sheets to cover the furniture and a ladder before you can start painting your ceiling. Make sure your project doesn’t get stranded because of ill-preparation by working out a plan of action before you get cracking.
This involves choosing which materials you’re going to use, calculating how much you need exactly and planning the order in which you’re going to do each job. Include exact measurements in your plan and make a realistic time schedule. Also, take into account that certain materials such as glue and paint need to dry before you can move on to the next step.
Know your talents and limitations
It’s never too late to learn, but most of us know by now that there are certain things we’ll never be able to do well. In order to be a DIY hero, you have to choose your battles wisely. If you know you can saw a straight line, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a go at installing your own wooden floor – even if you've never done so before. But if your previous attempts at plumbing invariably ended up in disaster, don’t risk it. Leave the loo to the professionals. Instead, focus on tasks you know you’ll be good at, whether it be sewing curtains or gardening. Don’t worry, there’s plenty to do!
Turn off the electrics and water at the mains
Drilling or hammering into pipes and cables is a common cause of DIY disasters. Try to avoid this in all cases. Even if you’ve made sure the wall you want to modify is safe, don’t push your luck. Turn off the electrics and water before you start and cut down the risk of accidental water or fire damage.
Protect yourself
If you’re going to make a lot of noise, wear ear plugs. Noise induced hearing loss is irreversible and it would be stupid to damage yourself while trying to improve your home. When drilling, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from flying pieces of debris and an air mask to keep silica dust out of your lungs. Heavy gloves can protect your fingers and hands.
Stick to the plan
Home improvement is very much like baking a pie: it won’t look right until it’s done. So even if your instinct tells you to abandon the project, don’t despair and trust your plan. Of course, it’s very important to be precise to make sure that everything will fit back together. But if you haven’t cut corners and stick to your calculations, you’ll see that it will look good when you’re done.
Make sure you’re covered before you start
Check your home insurance policy before you need it and make sure it covers accidental damage. It’s important to be protected for common accidents such as spilling paint on furniture, drilling through pipes and causing fire. Otherwise, you risk spending all your savings on repairs while you were trying to save some cash by doing it yourself! It turns out that two out of five Londoners have no home insurance protection. If you belong to this group, you can compare home insurance quotes online using trustworthy comparison websites. Knowing you’ve got a good home insurance policy will take some of the stress out of DIY.
Take a tea break
A nice cup of tea and a sit down are at least half of the fun of doing it yourself.
What projects are you undertaking? What DIY websites do you recommend for giving good advice and guides? We want to hear all your tips. Let us know in a comment below.
Picture kindly from here
