If you’re reading this, you need to know that you definitely can do DIY. You are more capable than you think.
Why is this blog here?
I want to save you money. That’s all. No strings attached.
LOADS of jobs around the house are well within the grasp of most people. If you can do some of them yourself, you’ll save hundreds, or thousands of pounds over the years and gain a great sense of achievement and confidence. This blog only contains stuff about the real basics.
Who’s this blog for?
Anyone who wants to save money.
Anyone willing to have a go, but doesn’t know where to start.
Anyone who feels intimidated at the thought of tackling jobs at home.
But I'm useless at DIY
I’ve heard people say this countless times. Whilst this kind of thinking helps to keep me in business, I can’t completely agree with a statement like that. Yes, some people are better with a hammer than others but, on the other hand, I don’t recall ever hearing somebody say that they’re useless at brushing their teeth or washing the dishes. There’s something about DIY which scares people off but, really, there’s no mystery to it. Anyone can drill a hole, paint a wall or change a light bulb. Yet, a good chunk of my bread and butter comes from hanging pictures and filling old screw holes, and I’ve been called upon to change light bulbs more than once! It seems unfair that people can sometimes feel so intimidated that they have to pay someone to do the most basic things. I want to change that.
I earn enough to pay a handyman. Why should I bother?
Good point. This blog isn’t for everyone but, just before you lose interest and click somewhere else, think of the pride, self-belief and how grown-up you’ll feel when you’ve securely hung your first picture or made sure that sticky door closes properly.
So, where do I start?
The biggest thing with DIY is safety. You might want to check out the blog page on safety tips at some point.
You’ll need a few tools. Have a look at these blog articles about a basic toolkit and where to buy tools. You could just get the bits and pieces needed for a particular job and gradually build up your kit, or you might want to buy a few other things from the list so you’ll be ready for the next task when it crops up.
Next, have a browse on the get stuck in page and see if anything takes your fancy.
How to use this blog
I’m guessing you can think of one or two jobs which need doing, and you reckon they’re probably quite straightforward. Have a look through the blog and see if one of them is covered. It’s also worth having a browse through the skills and knowledge section. Don’t worry, there’s nothing really technical to wade through. Many articles also contain a brief summary in bullet points. There’s a link so you can download the bullet list and look at it on your phone while you’re working.
OK - I'm a little bit convinced. What next?
The main barrier, for many people, is confidence.
Getting that first job under your belt is amazingly empowering and you’ll soon realise that you’re much more capable than you previously thought. All it takes is:
- the right tools;
- not to bite off more than you can chew;
- knowing how to do the job;
- a bit of self-belief;
and you will be successful. For your first few goes, it’s pretty important to make sure you get the job done, otherwise it won’t do much for your confidence.
I’m not suggesting you should dive in and install an air brick: that’s way beyond my intention here. Rather, I aim to build up this blog with tips, tricks, techniques and guides about how to do the basics. There will be a rating for each to show straightforward it is, and I’m going to keep it simple – things like, sharpening your pencil, choosing the right screws or oiling locks and hinges. There’s no place on this blog for how to replace a window or plaster a wall. But, if you can do a few things for yourself, you’ll save hundreds, or perhaps thousands, over the years.
You definitely can do DIY.
I wholeheartedly believe that humans are pretty capable animals and they can turn their hands to anything. In the case of DIY, it just needs confidence, a bit of knowledge and some practice.
About me
My name is Damian. I gained a degree in mechanical engineering at Southampton University quite a few years back, and had a long career teaching physics. Now, I’m a handyman.
Thirty years ago, I bought my first house and the gas man came out to read the meter. Straight away, he cut off the gas because there was no air brick (for ventilation). It was the end of December and the house was freezing, but there was still no way I was going to pay somebody £200 to provide the required fresh air supply. Luckily, I owned a cheap drill (because I felt every self-respecting chap has to possess at least one power tool) and had already proudly practised making a few holes in a bit of wood. So I gave it a go. After a few hours of experimenting, scratching my head and swearing, the job was done, and it cost me about a fiver. It was actually quite easy in the end. I was so pleased with myself that, for months afterwards, I casually dropped my DIY prowess into every conversation.
Since cutting my DIY teeth, countless evenings, weekends and large chunks of the long holidays have been spent getting stuck into all those tasks that need doing on an older property. Friends and family also frequently called on me to take care of jobs at their houses. The more things I tackled, the more my skills, knowledge and confidence improved, until I was happy taking on pretty much anything. It’s incredibly empowering to know that you can deal with whatever your house feels like throwing at you.
A while ago, illness put an end to my teaching. “How am I going to pay the bills?” was one of my main concerns. So I fell back on the thing I knew second best (after teaching) and advertised myself locally as a handyman. The calls trickled in at first and I haven’t looked back since. Gradually, through word-of-mouth and reviews, my reputation increased and business has picked up so much that I now have a busy job.
I make a good living from hanging pictures, changing light bulbs and sorting out sagging doors in the kitchen, but I genuinely feel uncomfortable charging people for the most straightforward tasks.
I want to change people’s reluctance to do DIY. I want more people to save money and feel that sense of achievement by taking on more jobs themselves. I wholeheartedly believe that humans are pretty capable animals and they can turn their hands to anything. In the case of DIY, it just needs confidence, a bit of knowledge and some practice.
You really can do DIY