Home Repairs : DIY or pay someone to do it for you?

Jon

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Personally, I'm all for the latter.

I can put up 'free standing' stuff that you would buy from IKEA but I'm not one putting up shelves, giant bedroom units that attach to the wall and well, anything that involves a drill!

It's because of this that we tend to (well always!) pay a Joiner to do a fair bit of work for us.

I don't know what it is with me really as if I just learned to do the stuff I could save a fortune but I'm just too worried about damaging the house and making things worse!!

Even decorating like painting a room I will get someone in to do it as I will tend to make a right botch job of it the walls!!

Maybe there should be some kind of 'homeowner' course you need to go on before you buy a house so you can at least do the basics!!
 

Queen Jess

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I also am for the latter but only because I am completely inept at DIY and hubbie isn't much better. I remember making a box at school out of wood and couldn't get any of the corners square and couldn't hammer a nail in straight.

These days my abilities stretch to painting walls (not doors as whatever I do I seem to mess it up and they stick), puttong together flat pack furniture and on a good day putting up a picture using those sticky tapes.

I would mess up anything else and would have to get someone in to fix it anyway..
 
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Jon

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I also am for the latter but only because I am completely inept at DIY and hubbie isn't much better. I remember making a box at school out of wood and couldn't get any of the corners square and couldn't hammer a nail in straight.

These days my abilities stretch to painting walls (not doors as whatever I do I seem to mess it up and they stick), puttong together flat pack furniture and on a good day putting up a picture using those sticky tapes.

I would mess up anything else and would have to get someone in to fix it anyway..
Well at least you will paint walls so you are one ahead of me!

It's not like I haven't tried. Tried painting a bedroom wall once and a fair amount ended up either on the ceiling or on the carpet because i hadn't put down the protection sheet correctly!!
 

Wibble

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My motto is I may be slow / useless but I'm cheap :D

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a tourist attraction. The DIY defense rests!
 

Jon

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My motto is I may be slow / useless but I'm cheap :D

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a tourist attraction. The DIY defense rests!
lol I've got mates at work that have had 'projects' that go back to 2015!!
 

homie

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I do basic painting and decorating. My wallpapering is never perfect but its good enough for me. Replaced the fence in my garden a few weeks ago and hated doing it. Hadn't banked on tree roots running close to the surface where the post holes were making it hard work to dig out the old posts.

The biggest problem* with my house is the previous owners were idiots and made a mess of nearly every DIY job they carried out. Consequently my own efforts are mostly covering up the mess that was there before with different mess.

I would never attempt any structural work like knocking down or putting up walls or electrics or plumbing. Too much opportunity for disaster there.

*I am currently selling the house so if you are planning on viewing it and are reading this then my house is lovely and actually has never had any problems whatsoever.
 
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Jon

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I do basic painting and decorating. My wallpapering is never perfect but its good enough for me. Replaced the fence in my garden a few weeks ago and hated doing it. Hadn't banked on tree roots running close to the surface where the post holes were making it hard work to dig out the old posts.

The biggest problem* with my house is the previous owners were idiots and made a mess of nearly every DIY job they carried out. Consequently my own efforts are mostly covering up the mess that was there before with different mess.

I would never attempt any structural work like knocking down or putting up walls or electrics or plumbing. Too much opportunity for disaster there.

*I am currently selling the house so if you are planning on viewing it and are reading this then my house is lovely and actually has never had any problems whatsoever.

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Our current house was just sold to developers as the owners were doing a part exchange so the house was just sort of left on its own for a year which brought its own problems like a roof that leaked and a toilet that didn't work but all that aside didn't make up for when we wanted to decorate things and had to take that god awful wallpaper down to find.....more wallpaper etc..

They were also slightly obsessed with Dado rails as well which to take down ( as we did) then require the parts of the wall where they were to be re-done again.... and then everything needs painting..

Sod doing any of that, i'd make a right hash of it lol
 

Clason

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Well, i guess it actually depends. In case you have enough time, if you got the ''skill'' and the right tools i guess you can do it by yourself. Per example, I really like to do everything by myself, however when there is something that i don't really know how to do, i would better call for a specialist. I remember back when my parents wanted to repair some things at their place, my dad called me to help him. Well, i broke his sander, and a couple of more things. I decided to look for the best sander for his needs, so i accesed https://www.bestorbitalsander.com/orbital-sanders/makita/bo5031-2-random-orbital-sander/, and got a really great sander. My dad thought that it was a gift for his birthday :D .
 
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Jute

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I got round this by marrying someone who's pretty good at DIY...
 
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EdibleDormouse

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Basic stuff? Get out the hammer and nails. Anything requiring more than a paintbrush? Get the professionals in. Keeps money moving as well, which is always a good thing, she says, as she watches about £2,000 fly out of her bank account for home maintenance...
 

Clason

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I always considered that a man should and have a desire to fix things in his own house by himself or in case of need with his buddies to do a complex hard job. My father since my childhood always tried to explain me things starting wires and electricity, sanitary engineering, cars engine and many other amazing lessons I will remember for life. Now kids are not interested in such things, they are buys with their iPads. Most important even with my knowledge and experience I still have insurances and work with https://www.damagecontrol-911.com/ , in case of some disaster or mold problems, I can rely on them. Such problems are very delicate and needs special “treatment”.
 
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