26 Aug Home Improvements You Should And Shouldn’t Attempt Yourself
Life feels like it’s getting more and more expensive, especially with the cost of living crisis that many of us are experiencing in the fallout of Brexit and the pandemic. In feeling the pinch, many of us will be looking to save money wherever we can, from driving less to cut back on luxuries; every little helps!
That frugal methodology extends to our homes, where huge savings are possible by doing much of our improvements, maintenance and renovations ourselves. But is there a limit to what we should attempt at home and is it better to call in a professional instead? Let’s take a closer look at the home improvements you should and shouldn’t attempt yourself.
Odd jobs – Yes!
If you have ever tried to get a tradesperson to come and do work in your home you will have experienced difficulty in finding one who is available. A huge 62% of UK tradespeople said 2021 was the ‘busiest year they’ve ever had and 86% expect to be ‘very busy’ in 2022. With so many trade services in demand, the likelihood of finding a skilled professional to pop in for odd jobs is slim. But that’s not the end of the world.
Most odd jobs around the home we can do ourselves, from putting up shelves to assembling flat-pack furniture. Many involve getting familiar with a drill, which can be intimidating, to begin with, but it’s relatively easy to master once you use it a few times.
The beauty of modern society is that there are video tutorials for just about everything, especially for jobs around the home. From learning the proper technique for using a drill to step-by-step guides to hanging blinds, the internet and social media have you covered.
Being cautious – Yes!
Once you become comfortable and competent with a drill, it can open up a world of possibilities. With growing confidence in using power tools, you can take on large projects but be careful not to bite off more than you can chew. One recent article reported that a staggering 5,600 people in England were admitted to hospital in power-tool-related incidents during 2020-21.
Likewise, DIY enthusiasts should also be mindful of tampering with hazardous materials such as asbestos that might be lying dormant in older structures. Although people are more aware of the potential danger of asbestos removal at work because of legal personal injury cases involving asbestos, the risks are just as real for people making home improvements.
Basic plumbing – Yes!
We use the plumbing in our homes every day, whether that be the kitchen tap for drinking water, the shower for washing or the toilet for sanitary purposes. The pipes and taps get heavy use daily and while they are robust they are prone to suffering from wear and tear.
Leaky taps, clogged drains and faulty toilet flushes are all commonplace. These are small plumbing jobs that we can do ourselves without much risk of things going wrong. However, if things do go wrong with a small plumbing job there is a good chance that some flooding will occur.
How much basic plumbing you are willing to tackle depends on your confidence but that belief you can do a job shouldn’t be baseless. You can pick up some basic plumbing skills through online tutorials or books as many household plumbing jobs haven’t changed significantly.
Learning to handle the basics of plumbing can save you hundreds in callout fees for a job that may only take a plumber a matter of minutes to complete. However, the more complex the job becomes the more important it becomes to call on a plumber for their expertise and experience. Flooding in the home causes serious water damage that may take months to put right.
Most electrical jobs – No!
Electricians are some of the most in-demand skilled workers in any industry and because they are in short supply, the temptation to do your own electrics is high. While some electrical jobs, such as wiring in small appliances or moving a ceiling light, are relatively safe and straightforward, most require a skilled professional to complete. Particularly, any electricity in the kitchen or bathroom should be left to the pros due to the added risk of electrical faults with the prevalence of water in these areas.
Some domestic electrical jobs can only be done when signed off by a local authority building control, such as adding new circuits or replacing a fuse box. It’s easy to forget the danger electricity poses as many of the appliances we use today are safe but it remains dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing.
If you want to learn some electrician skills for yourself, there are a variety of short-term courses available that teach you the fundamentals and beyond. From wiring and PAT testing to building regulations compliance and solar panel installations, there are many ways to upgrade your electrical skills for domestic and DIY purposes.
Freshening up walls, moulding, and fixtures – Yes!
If there is one DIY job around the house that most people can be confident of getting right, it’s adding a lick of paint to their walls. The paint on our walls gets scratched and dirty from regular passing traffic and from time to time they need freshening up. With a little elbow grease and some protective sheets to save everything from getting paint splashes on, we can transform a room with some brushes and rollers in a few hours.
Crown moulding and picture rails are simple decorating jobs that you can cut to the size of your room to add a touch of class. If you don’t have adequate cutting tools, you can commonly get them cut to size from a home improvement store or timber yard. Putting these rails and moulds up may require a nail gun, which can be intimidating but is relatively simple to use; just point and shoot.
Other fixtures and fittings can also be tackled by a DIY novice. From updating curtain rods to replacing light fixtures and doorknobs, most people can handle these small jobs and there is minimal damage risk involved.
Restoring and revealing hardwood floors – Yes!
If you’re looking for a slightly larger home improvement project to sink your teeth into then consider restoring and revealing your property’s hardwood floors. Older properties tend to come equipped with hardwood flooring underneath your carpet. To find out what lies beneath your carpet, lift an unnoticeable corner to peek below.
Hardwood flooring will likely need to be refinished to bring it back to its former glory, which will require a sander and some varnish to protect it. This process is relatively risk-free and the results can transform your home. Restoring the original wooden beams is also much less expensive than hiring someone to install new flooring, making it a DIY win.
Gas work – No!
Similar to electricity, gas can be extremely dangerous if it’s tampered with by an unskilled person. Your boiler might be playing up and the temptation is to have a closer look to see if there’s anything you can do to make it work better.
The same applies to your central heating system and cooker. Gas is combustible and volatile, meaning gas-safe engineers should be the only people tampering with them. All gas businesses are required by law to be on the Gas Safe Register to protect those they work with.