Top 5 Mistakes DIYers Always Make
Many of us enjoy a bit of DIY and the satisfaction that comes from looking at completed job thinking €˜I did that.' But there are some mistakes that many people make when undertaking a DIY project that can end up either ruining the end result or even leading to an accident. So what are the top 5 DIY mistakes and how can you avoid them?
Building permits
Many popular jobs around the house and garden don't require a building permit or other official permission to undertake but it always pays to check this before you start. Erecting a structure can be costly and even more so when someone from officialdom comes along and tells you that you have to take it down because you don't have the right permission for it. Loft conversions are another area where there are rules governing certain aspects that need to be adhered to, while other work can be done almost as you wish.
Preparation, preparation!
Getting ready to undertake a job is a multi-faceted task that can include everything from making sure you have all the supplies you need for the job to be certain that the work area is ready for what you want to do with it.
Firstly, get the right tools together and make sure they are good quality and reliable €“ watch out for bargain bin tools that can fail when you need them most. Secondly, ensure the correct storage of any materials to be used on the job until you need them. for example if you have wood, don't store it where it is going to get wet or it won't be able to be painted until its dry again. Lastly, make sure that the area you are going to do the job is suitable for it €“ laying a new section of flat roof may sound simple but if the roof beams underneath are rotten, the job is going to fail.
Check as you go
Many jobs you do around the house and garden should not be undertaken unless you have a spirit level to hand to ensure what you are doing is level and straight. Remember those shelves in the living room that look lovely but put something round-ish on them and it always ends up on the floor? This is because the shelves may look level but they aren't and anything slightly mobile ends up rolling down that tiny incline to its death on the floor. By checking the shelves with a spirit level as you put them up, you can ensure that this won't happen.
Similarly, when you are putting up anything that needs to carry weight, ensure that the structure behind it can support the weight you need to put on it. No sense getting those beautiful shelves into place put the books on them and find the wall behind is too feeble to support the weight so the whole thing ends up on the floor.
Don't be too ambitious
We all like a challenge and to try to push ourselves a bit further than we have gone before but be careful not to overextend yourself. This can be trying to complete the job too quickly, trying to work alone when you need another pair of hands or trying to do something physically too demanding. Take your time with whatever you are doing and you will get the job done well without hurting yourself or having to skimp on quality to hit an overly ambitious deadline.
Double check everything
When measuring anything, always do so twice. It's easy to make a mark and slip a little but that 1mm difference can be fatal to the project. Mark the material then measure it again to be certain. Similarly when painting, test a section of the wall that is out of sight before attacking the central area in case the colour is not what you expected.
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