Spring’s here . . . start changing rooms! Start changing rooms!
Roll your sleeves up, read our tips...then try your hand at some DIY to spruce up your pad
EASTER is a time for renewal, when many homeowners roll up their sleeves and refresh their property with a spot of do-ityourself. Here, The Mail on Sunday shows how even those who do not know one end of a hammer from the other can learn skills that can save them a fortune.
THIS Easter, two out of five of us will pick up a paintbrush, hammer or power tool and tackle a do-it-yourself task around the home. The average spent on DIY by homeowners each year is £1,000, on everything from changing a lightbulb to decorating the bedroom or tiling the bathroom.
This expenditure can more than pay for itself in the added value it brings to the home if the work is done well. For example, a makeover of the kitchen or bathroom can add five per cent to the value of a property, according to estate agent Move With Us.
For the average £220,000 home, all that DIY hard work can boost its value by more than £10,000.
But DIY is not just about making money. Job satisfaction and savings made from not paying someone else to do tasks are other big pluses.
Despite the financial and personal benefits, half of us never lift a finger when it comes to tackling such jobs. Regular excuses include ‘not being practical enough’, ‘I am far too busy’ or just plain laziness. This vital guide shows how everyone can benefit from a little DIY.
REFRESH THE HOME
TV celebrity and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen believes that sprucing up the home at Easter is part of human nature – and that even a complete novice can find DIY a rewarding pursuit.
The 52-year-old designer on popular BBC1 programme DIY SOS says: ‘This is the time for rebirth, when we crawl out from under our rocks after a long, hard winter and look afresh at life and the homes in which we live.’
Many people are put off by not knowing where to begin. But Llewelyn-Bowen believes that just filling a bucket full of water and getting out a sponge and chamois leather is the best way to start.
He says: ‘The first thing to do is to push back the curtains and wash the windows inside and out. You do not need the skills of a master builder to do this.
‘It is the most important step towards initiating home improvements. The fresh spring light will also work wonders for inspiring you with ideas.’
He points out that a common mistake is to rush into a DIY task, such as redecorating a room, with little preparation other than finding the car keys and dashing off to go shopping at the local DIY store.
He says: ‘Stop. Take some time out with the rest of the family and reflect on what you want to achieve. It is your home so follow your own tastes rather than those of someone else. By all means be inspired by books, magazines and TV shows, but ultimately follow your heart. The worst that can happen is that you have to redo the work, but if successful you will have created something you truly love.’
START WITH A SIMPLE PROJECT
RATHER than embarking on a major renovation, it is better to start with a straightforward task that can still have a dramatic impact on the home.
This way you can hone your skills and develop an appreciation of DIY. Timothy Amoui, a spokesman for DIY store B&Q, says: ‘It is amazing the difference a lick of paint can make to your home, a project that might only cost you £20.’
He says website diy.com/helpsupport is a source of good, practical information with downloadable instruction sheets for key projects.
Former Changing Rooms co-presenter Llewelyn-Bowen believes creating a ‘feature wall’ can provide a great project to tackle over an Easter Bank Holiday.
He says: ‘Getting a feature wall well and truly flocked with a flamboyant design of wallpaper is the sort of thing I love to do – and of course, I even have my own wallpaper range. The main constraint is your imagination. Why not be bold and do something unique? Use that space for your personal taste.’
He points out that modern quality wallpaper is easy to put up and requires you merely to paste the wall, not the paper.
Llewelyn-Bowen adds: ‘Those who grew up in the Seventies and
Eighties may remember covering their exercise books with old wallpaper. If you managed that then a feature wall will be a breeze.’
MASTER THE ART OF DIY
ONE of the rewarding aspects of DIY is that your skills develop the more experienced and ambitious you become. Yet there comes a point when experience is not enough and guidance from an expert is required for skills such as carpentry or plumbing.
Thanks to the internet there is an array of video tutorials available on YouTube. Providers that offer invaluable help – on everything from fixing a leaky tap to building a bat box – include DIY Doctor and Ultimate Handyman.
Local adult education courses are another source of information – and also offer the benefit of faceto-face skills being demonstrated first hand.
Courses on carpentry, electrics, plumbing and basic DIY can be found through websites such as Hotcourses, which lists details of local evening classes.
Stefanie Danevoy caught the DIY bug a couple of years ago after attending a one-day course at The Goodlife Centre in Bankside, Central London.
The 43-year-old office manager, who lives in Sydenham, South-East London, says: ‘Living in a one-bedroom Victorian apartment, I thought it would be great to develop my own home improvements skills rather than paying someone in overalls to do the work.’
She adds: ‘Getting trained up on how to make the most of tools such as electric drills has been a revelation. I have put up shelves, retiled the bathroom and even fixed leaky taps. It has also given me the confidence and skills to tackle more challenging projects such as building a bookshelf.’
The Collins DIY Manual, priced at £25, also offers a great bedtime read for those who wish to dream about tackling future DIY projects.
STAY SAFE BY HIRING A PROFESSIONAL
A KEY part of learning new DIY skills is to be aware of all safety issues. More than 200,000 people a year end up at the accident and emergency department of their local hospital as a result of a DIY injury – everything from falling off a stepladder while wallpapering to hammering a nail through their hand.
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the tools that cause most injuries are knives, saws, grinders, hammers, chisels, screwdrivers, power drills and axes.
Tragically, about a hundred people a year die from DIY accidents, the majority of the deaths resulting from falling off ladders.
Skilled jobs such as electrical rewiring and house plumbing are best left to the experts. Working on the roof is hazardous and best left to a professional who has all the necessary equipment.
Finding a tradesman through word of mouth makes good sense but make sure you go through your requirements in detail and obtain a written quote to avoid any misunderstanding.
As a rule of thumb, if someone is a jack-of-all-trades and immediately available it might be an indication that they are not highly regarded. Patience is often required, as the best tradespeople will be in demand and busy. The cheapest quote is not always the best. Look out for hidden costs such as travel, extra materials and VAT, which adds 20 per cent to the bill.
TrustMark is the only Government-backed find-a-tradesman scheme. It has more than 14,500 members signed up to a strict code of conduct.
The trades include builders, decorators, electricians, plumbers and tilers. Details of how to find local skilled people can be found at trustmark.org.uk or by calling 0333 555 1234. If you are looking for an electrician, use a member of an organisation such as the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting or the National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers.
For gas installation find someone who is Gas Safe registered.
INSURE AGAINST BOTCH JOBS
THE art of do-it-yourself is not without its pitfalls. At some point you will probably end up being one of the four out of ten people who botch a job. The most common mistakes can easily be avoided through careful preparation. For example, putting down dustsheets and moving furniture to avoid paint spilling on to the carpet. Home insurers will cover against most unforeseen incidents, but not all DIY mishaps. Adam Powell, of insurance broker Policy Expert, says: ‘Key is to ensure you have accidental damage included in your home cover.’ The average buildings and contents insurance costs £300 a year. You will pay around £40 on top for extra accidental damage cover. On average, insurance companies pay out £1,500 to fix carpets that have been damaged in the home and £2,000 to repair broken water pipes.
AVOID PAYING FOR A JOB UPFRONT
IDEALLY, never hand over money before a job is done. In some cases it might be necessary to pay for raw materials before a task is completed, but before you do insist on seeing copies of invoices.
If the total bill is more than £100 ask to pay using a credit card. This is because you will be given allimportant protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, enabling you to request a refund if any work proves unsatisfactory.
For major building tasks, such as an extension or an attic conversion, consider using a third-party company such as Home Improvements Guarantee to look after money earmarked for the job. It will only hand over the money to the builder once any work has been satisfactorily completed.
The service is for projects that cost more than £2,000 and costs the customer nothing, though the trader must be signed up to the deal. Customer money is protected by an insurance-backed contract and if there is a dispute the thirdparty company will send out an independent surveyor to inspect the job.
If you feel you have been let down by a tradesman and cannot amicably sort out your differences, contact your local Trading Standards. You can also contact the County Court Money Claims Centre if you want to claim money back for shoddy work.