Hawera police officer takes top DIY title
ASouth Taranaki policewoman has taken out the top spot in a competition to find the country’s best woman DIYer.
Carly Taiaroa, alongside mum Roselle, constructed a playhouse and put up a fence ahead of two other competitors in the Mitre 10 New Zealand Women’s DIY challenge, held in Palmerston North during the weekend.
‘‘I was so nervous coming into the competition that I hardly slept the night before,’’ Taiaroa said.
Three competitors and their chosen assistants hammered away in a series of DIY tasks, including building and decorating a playhouse before the top two went head-to-head in a final fence building race.
The Hawera police officer has taken home the first place title and $1000 to spend at Mitre 10 after out hammering Paraparaumu’s Rebecca Rogers and Rachel Lawrie from Invercargill.
‘‘Rachel and Rebecca looked like tough competition and I didn’t think I was going to win,’’ Taiaroa said.
Taiaroa, who has a true passion for DIY projects, brought an exhaustive amount of experience to the competition. Her DIY CV includes the renovation and redecoration of a 1950s home and 1974 caravan, sanding floors, plastering, wall papering and the installation of an entire kitchen.
She preferred completing tasks on her own and obtained her DIY skills by watching YouTube videos.
‘‘I love using power tools and all I ask for every birthday and Christmas are power tools to add to my collection or for hardware store vouchers,’’ Taiaroa said, leading up to the event.
And with a $1000 voucher in hand, she can continue her handson hobby.
Mitre 10 General Manager Marketing Dave Elliott said the competition reflected the growing confidence Kiwi women have in DIY skills.
‘‘With a huge number of Kiwi women running the show when it comes to DIY projects at home, the challenge was an awesome showcase for their skills.’’
Elliott said it was fantastic for the female competitors to show construction projects aren’t just within ‘‘the blokes’ domain’’.
Mitre 10 builder Stan Scott was on hand to judge the challenge and was blown away by the skills on display.
‘‘Carly really smashed it. Her unrivalled attention to detail and awesome workmanship won her the title.’’