DIY to Avoid: Don’t Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement Projects

Britain is a country obsessed with DIY.  I’m not sure why though, as I even flat pack furniture from IKEA makes me stressed!

The average person spends around £1000 on DIY projects every year, equating to a nationwide economy of around £22 billion. We just can’t get enough!

There are plenty of great DIY projects to involve yourself in, even if you’re a rookie. However, not every element of home improvement should be considered a task for the homeowner.

Some DIY projects must always be left to professionals, even if it means taking a financial hit you could avoid if you took on the project yourself.

The people we bought our home from are a fine example of why some DIY should not be attempted by amateurs! We had doors that didn’t shut because they were wonky, broken taps, things screwed on backwards and more!

So, what are the DIY projects to avoid? Before you get started on your next big home improvement job, be sure to call up the experts when making these changes:

 

Anything Electrical

In the UK, thousands of people are killed each year as the result of electrical fires and faults. There is no avoiding the fact that electricity poses a serious risk to life, which means working with it requires two things: proper equipment and expertise.

DIYers don’t have either of these, which means working with any electricals in the pursuit of home improvement injects the project with serious and unnecessary risk. Potential for disaster varies from electrical fires thanks to mistakes during DIY jobs, to direct electrocution.

On this list of DIY projects to avoid, electricals is number one for a reason. Always steer clear.

If that wasn’t enough, there is also a legal element to electrical work as well. All electrical work must be conducted to safety and planning codes, as dictated by law. This is to ensure not only your safety, but the safety of those around you, especially if you live in terraces or flats. Most simple electrical work won’t need special permission, but there is a potential for lawbreaking with carrying out DIY electrical work.

Another reason to avoid.

Roofing

A lot of people take it upon themselves to install their own roofing.

It seems simple enough and, despite the obvious dangers, those confident enough to work in high places may considering doing it themselves. There are three main problems with doing your own roofing:

• It’s Risky — Climbing on a roof is dangerous. Simple. Falling from a second story home can easily be fatal. This isn’t something we need to tell you, but you should note that professionals not only have experience but also the right gear to keep them safe.
• It’s an Expensive DIY Project — Roofing installation is tough. Houses are made to withstand all kinds of harsh weather, which means you aren’t going to be able to perform the job with your standard toolbox. This requires the purchasing of industry-standard tools, which are expensive. The same goes for materials. Sourcing quality roofing materials isn’t easy; you won’t find everything you need at your local hardware store. Another major cost.
• It’s Easy to Get Wrong — Roofing is incredibly important. Without proper roof installation, you’ll see leaks and other forms of property damage. Therefore, it needs to be done right. The biggest reason roofing is a DIY project to avoid is that if you mess it up, you’ll face major problems — and roofing is easy to mess up. With so many interlinking components, just one small weakness can have disastrous consequences.

Plumbing Work

There are plenty of small plumbing jobs that most people can successfully do themselves. Plumbing jobs like changing faucets, replacing loose brackets and bleeding radiators are simple DIY projects anyone can do.

However, once you get into the more serious elements of plumbing, it’s time to step back and call in professional support. Nobody is going to try and replace their internal plumbing, upgrade their own central heating or consider boiler installation, but you may attempt to replace a basin, shower, bath or toilet, for example.

The problem is that plumbing systems within the home are not only delicate but also completely interconnected. Getting it right is essential to avoiding homewide plumbing issues. Work that is complete improperly can lead to pressure problems, leaks, the accumulation of limescale and debris within systems and more. This is not to mention the perils of improper installation of elements such as showers or toilets.

Advanced plumbing jobs are definitely DIY projects to avoid.

Flooring

So far, all those DIY projects I’ve recommend you avoid some kind of intricate technical knowledge or present a potential danger. Comparatively, flooring seems relatively straightforward and without risk. So why shouldn’t you be throwing down carpet yourself, setting wooden floorboards or adding kitchen/bathroom floor surfaces?

Flooring, while it may seem simple, comes complete with a minefield of problems for untrained and unequipped DIYers.

Wooden flooring, for example, often requires refinishing. This means it will need treatment and sanding. However, to do this properly, you need specialist equipment that is inaccessible to DIYers. Alternatives are available, but they don’t offer the same results. There is also a certain level of knowledge required to finish floors properly, which means in the hands of a DIYer, floors can get damaged.

Carpet installation also presents problems. A labour intensive job that requires exact measurements and careful rollout procedures, even slight mismatches can lead to crinkled carpet, air pockets, loose areas and improperly formed seals.

Flooring requires experience and industry-standard tools to install properly. Don’t do this one yourself.