DIYing This Weekend? It’s Going To Cost You

So, we at 4Homes have been banging on for some time about how you should improve rather than move, how DIY is achievable for all and how you should check out our very handy step by step A-Z of DIY & Building Guides and Design & Style How Tos to tackle anything from making cushions to fitting a new sink. All this in an effort to make your home worth more, make it look better – and save money in the process.

We don’t want to put you off. Oh no. While we’re enjoying our August bank holidays, the 4Homes team will lie back (metaphorically) and think of you all beavering away in the garden, laying a new deck, or up in the bathroom, replacing old taps. However, a word or two of warning. We’ve been told that we Brits pay a massive £1.5 billion to fix DIY jobs gone wrong. Worse still, 250,000 people suffer DIY-related injuries every year (I can prove that – I’ve got a damaged finger from the gardening I did last weekend).

So, while it may seem like a good idea to use the break to do that wallpapering or tile a floor, it’s also worth preparing properly to avoid those DIY disasters. Kensington Financial Management Consultants have rather handily supplied us with some tips to avoid throwing a spanner in the works:

1 Check your tools – make sure they are in good working order to avoid any mishaps. Check that equipment carries British or European quality or standard marks in the manual.

2 Know your limits – if you are unsure of the extent of the job, call in an experienced professional, which may work out cheaper as you won’t have to fork out for specialist tools.

3 Insure and be sure – check insurance policies to see what you are covered for in case of an accident (not as silly as it sounds…).

4 A rushed job is a botched job – take your time and don’t leave anything unfinished, or sharp tools lying around.

5 Finally, from the team at 4Homes – don’t do a thing until you’ve checked out our DIY advice pages.

Good luck – and let us know how it goes – at our Rate My DIY Disaster pages.

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