Most Common DIY Disasters

The joy of DIY is quickly forgotten as yet another costly mistake is made. We enjoy the challenge of doing it ourselves but there are an almost comically high number of mistakes made every year in Britain as clueless homeowners follow one bad decision with another. The result is a disastrously bad job, a hell of a mess and a large bill. And to think, we perform DIY tasks to avoid paying high bills for tradesmen! Below are a list of the most common DIY mistakes seen in thousands of UK homes each year.

Look Behind The Nails!

Hands up if you’re guilty of hammering nails or screws into a wall without checking to see what’s behind it first. It’s amazing how few people remember that there are water pipes possibly located there. Suddenly, a ridiculously simple job such as hanging a picture turns into a mess that costs hundreds of pounds to repair. You can purchase a device that detects wires and pipes and this could save you a world of frustration. Although the detector is not 100% accurate, it does give you a fighting chance of avoiding pipes and wires.

Snakes And Ladders

You’ve probably heard to one about the guy who cut a branch off a tree but failed to realise that he was sitting on the branch at the time. This clichéd DIY mishap is actually frighteningly commonplace as is using the wrong sized ladder for a job. Do not pick a ladder that is too short and try to make up the shortfall by reaching for your target. If the ladder is too short, leave it and find one that is longer. While you’re at it, get someone to keep the ladder secure. After all, you don’t want a simple window washing job to led to a spell in hospital.

Bad Fittings

Falling fixtures are a menace and are common amongst British households where DIY has been performed. Lights and other things start falling down if they are not attached properly. The most obvious culprit is use of the wrong sized screw or bolt. When you do this, you’re not only asking for the fixture to get damaged, someone could get seriously injured as well.

Illegal Structure

Don’t begin to add an extension to your home or perform any DIY work which alters its exterior without contacting your local housing authority. Begin the project without following this step and you could find that a neighbour objects to the project and it gets shut down immediately. Seek permission and a permit and remember that these are two separate items. This step must be followed even if you’re only installing replacement windows.

This is far from a comprehensive list of DIY mistakes but they are among the most common. DIY can be rewarding but also problematic. When a simple task starts to turn into a nightmare, you know you’re on the wrong track. Although you cannot become a DIY expert overnight, you can use some common sense and know when to cut your losses. And sometimes, these losses include asking for professional help. 

Avoiding DIY Disasters By Phoning The Professionals

The term ‘weekend warrior’ is a derisive phrase aimed at those who go to the gym at weekends only and work their ‘show’ muscles, mainly chest and biceps while ignoring the more important muscle groups like their legs. This phrase could also be used for those who attempt DIY during their time off. Oftentimes, the job they try to complete is way beyond their level of experience. Ultimately, their desire to save money on home improvements ends up costing them far more than they thought. DIY mistakes pile up and eventually, they need the help of a professional to get them out of the mess they have landed themselves in.

The question is: Why wait until something bad happens before calling a professional? Surely it makes more sense to get the job done right first time around? Having pride is one thing, but trying to tackle an electrical problem when you don’t know the difference between a brown and blue wire is quite another. However, the great British public continue to persevere on their road to independence. No job is too large or complex for the hardy DIY weekend warrior, even though he doesn’t know the names of the tools he is using!

Know Thy Tools

Yes, a nationwide survey proves that the modern generation have no clue when it comes to performing even the simplest DIY tasks. 33% of the people surveyed admitted that they contacted their parents for advice on the most basic DIY tasks. A staggering 50% of those interviewed in the survey stated that they had no idea what a wrench looked like with the same percentage saying that they couldn’t identify a claw hammer in a gallery of tools.

Yet the most damning finding of the survey was the fact that an incredible 67% of people had unfinished DIY projects lying around the house because they had no idea how to finish them. The survey asked 2,000 people about their DIY knowledge and only 11% of people claimed to know the names of the 10 tools most commonly used on DIY projects in the home. Perhaps it is the rise of technology but these are startling statistics and bring our desire to complete our own DIY tasks into sharper focus.

If you are one of those people that began an overhaul of the bathroom but haven’t come near completing the job, it’s time to admit that the entire project is way beyond your skill level and contact a professional. The above statistics prove that the British belief in DIY is misguided at best and dangerous at worst. Tackling projects without knowledge of the tools being used is a bad idea. It increases the chances of injuring yourself or causing extensive damage to the home.

So, if your plumbing is in dire straits, your bedroom needs renovation or your lights keep going out, put down the hammer, wrench and screwdriver (assuming you know what they look like!) and pick up the phone to a professional organisation who will complete the job properly with the minimum of fuss. 

Why DIY Could Reduce The Value Of Your Home

If you are thinking of selling your home, don’t embark on a DIY home improvements mission! Experts warn that the improvements you think will add to the value of your home could actually cause the opposite effect. More than 80% of men in the UK have attempted a DIY project at some time in their lives according to research. Some do it for the challenge but others genuinely believe that their efforts will lead to a higher price for their home when they decide to sell it. However, 70% of real estate agents who took part in a recent survey said that many DIY home improvements have no impact when it comes to increasing the value of property.

The prevailing belief is that structural projects such as loft conversions could add between 5-10% to the value of the home. On a house worth £350,000, it’s hard to imagine that a loft conversion would be worth £17,500-£35,000. Yet complex and potentially dangerous tasks are still frequently performed by UK homeowners, despite the fact that 90% of those interviewed know that jobs involving gas and electricity are dangerous and best left to the professionals.

Did you know that almost a quarter of real estate agents interviewed believed that a new fitted kitchen would make no difference to a home’s value? Over 60% of real estate agents also stated that garden improvements are a waste of time and cash. With all of this in mind, are you still keen to tackle that complex and time-consuming DIY project? Experts warn that badly performed DIY jobs are likely to take value off your home. In fact, it is estimated that at least 5% of a home’s value could be lost if a major DIY job goes horribly wrong. On a £500,000 property, you could throw away £25,000 because of your desire to DIY. Add in the cost of materials and the time spent on the project and you have a real disaster.

When it comes to home improvements to increase the value of your home, you must contact professionals who will at least ensure that the value of the property will not drop. Some of the best home improvements that actually will increase your home’s value include a conservatory, double glazed windows and central heating. It is estimated that any of these projects will add 4-5% to the value of your home if performed by professionals. On a £300,000 home, that’s a £12,000-15,000 increase, much more than the cost of these projects.

If you feel compelled to perform DIY tasks on your home, think of the consequences should things go wrong. In the event that you persevere, avoid making costly changes like replacing the floorboards with cheap laminated flooring. This does absolutely nothing to increase a home’s value and may actually reduce it. Avoid wild and wacky ideas like converting a garage into a gym if you intend on moving. There is a tendency among homeowners to make changes that they like but may not resonate with prospective buyers. Consider what a buyer wants before making major alterations. 

Why DIY Is Sometimes A Mistake

It would be wonderful if every single example of DIY home improvements was a resounding success. The reality however, is very different. Making errors with home improvements is relatively common. There are a number of reasons why a seemingly straightforward project can turn into a disaster. You could underestimate the scale of the project, fail to get planning permission or even move to the wrong area in the first place. Below are just three occasions when DIY is a mistake, plan and simple.

Buying In The Wrong Area

It’s hard to swallow when it happens but your DIY project could be an unmitigated disaster before you ever even commit to beginning it. How is this possible? By buying a ‘fixer-upper’ house at a deceivingly low price in the belief that you can remodel it for a low cost. The reasons for this are manifold though some people do it to turn a quick profit by selling the house after it has been fixed up. Another possibility is a family who are low on cash and see an opportunity to buy a home on the cheap.

The problem is, many people are taken in by slick real estate agents who fail to mention the fact that the home is located near a railway track or is close to a flight path. Once you buy the house, it will be very difficult to sell it again for a profit unless you resort to outright deception.

The Right Channels

When you start a large DIY project, it is imperative that you find out whether or not you need a permit. Certain projects require you to have planning permission and a building permit. It is not unusual to have a major DIY project completely shut down because the requisite documents were not obtained. This is disastrous if it happens to you as there is no way to reclaim the money spent on the project. Then there is the mess that has been made. Do yourself a favour, if you are embarking on a DIY project that involves making alterations to the exterior of the house, go through the right channels first.

No Plan

Another basic DIY mistake is to plough into the work without a specific plan. Even seemingly minor jobs can mushroom into an epic project if proper planning is not utilised. Begin by outlining the project step-by-step. Write down how long you think it will take to complete each step and the materials required. Be sure to overestimate the time to avoid disappointment, delays and to pleasantly surprise yourself if you arrive ahead of schedule. If you fail to do this, things can get out of hand in a hurry and you will also find yourself running out of money to complete the project.

While we encourage you to attempt small DIY projects that are within your capabilities, we also urge you to use the expertise of a professional company when a job seems too big. It is far too easy for a DIY project to turn into a catastrophe. Swallow your pride and seek help as and when necessary.