Close entry 18/04/17 - DIY: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

DIY: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

DIY is really popular these days, there are a lot of great products available which make the work easier, while information on what to do and how to do it is also readily available, it can be a great way to save money on achieving great results around the home.  

So let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of DIY.

A good DIYer knows his/her limits and makes plans accordingly.  If taking on a new task, he/she does some research into what will be needed to complete the project, the best tools for the job and the best materials needed to make a truly great job of the project.  If the task is really new, he/she will take some time to talk it through with someone who they know is more knowledgeable and might have some top tips for them.  They might watch some videos to see how to undertake the task.  They will certainly think about those all important tools and consider loaning or renting at first, until it’s clear that they will be needed fairly often.  If borrowing tools from family or friends they will make sure they are well looked after and returned, clean and ready to use, promptly.  They will know that there is nothing worse than loaning tools, only for them to take ages to be returned and/or returned in a poor condition.

A bad DIYer is the person who fails to plan.  Effectively they are planning to fail as they will not be properly aware of the key issues of task, tools and materials discussed above.  There is nothing worse than a badly planned project which had been completed using the wrong materials.  In a way it is a total waste of time and money as the whole project may well need to be re-done by a more skilled, experienced DIYer or an expensive professional tradesman.

Worse of all is the DIY project that results in a disaster, possibly because of poor planning or knowledge.  Damage to property due to lack of knowledge, subsequent failure of equipment because of poor installation and insufficient knowledge of safety procedures can represent really costly mistakes.  Even a simple task such as painting can look terrible is proper attention is not paid to preparation, appropriate materials and correct techniques.  Worse than this, the work can fail to do the proper job, of protecting and enhancing the surface being painted, leading to subsequent deterioration and the need to replace the surface or item. 

So make a resolution to be the good DIYer, who thinks the project through and attends to planning and preparation. The result of this is a DIY project that can be a source of pride and pleasure, which enhances the home or garden, maybe adding the kind of WOW factor that adds value and desirability to a property in the future.  A little time and attention to detail can pay dividends in the long term.