You watch one YouTube tutorial and it all seems to make sense; you can fix that busted pipe or you can build that bookcase no problem. The reality is however, you’ll probably end up flooding your home or less calamitously, with wonky shelves. Here are the 5 mistakes most commonly made by rookies and how you can avoid falling into their trap.
Failing to Get a Building Permit
Different cities and authorities have different levels of leniency when it comes to DIY projects and building regulations, but you should always get a building permit just to be on the safe side. If you’re building a sizeable structure or extending your home and fail to get a permit, the local authority can close your project at will.
Starting the Job without the Correct Supplies
Even when you have suddenly been struck with a bolt of inspiration and want to get to work immediately, it is important that you source all of the correct supplies before beginning the project. Having to make multiple trips to attain all of the supplies as and when you need them will only slow down the process and impinge upon the project. This is particularly pertinent in projects that change the structure of a building, such as the replacement of any doors. If you remove the doors and chuck them in a skip before finishing the replacement doors, you might have a big hole in the front of your home for an unforeseen amount of time.
Relaxed Atmosphere, Relaxed Attitude Towards Safety. There is a worrying attitude that safety equipment is just there to satisfy health and safety inspectors and foreman paranoia. However, safety equipment plays a very serious role in both large scale construction sites and small DIY projects alike. Whether it is goggles protecting your eyes from welding sparks or protective gloves, stopping you chopping fingers off; if you are working with sharp, heavy or dangerous tools and supplies, it is important to protect yourself and any people you have brought over to help you out.
How to Avoid this Rookie Mistake: Consider all of the possible dangers you may encounter on the site and seek the correct safety items.
Manchester Safety Services stocks a large selection of safety equipment items for a wide range of construction and DIY jobs.
Wonky Shelving A job well done can quickly become undone if measurements are slightly off. Even a few degrees off centre and a bookshelf can be completely ruined with books, DVDs and picture frames sliding to one end of the new build. This can be both unsightly and impractical, especially when priceless Ming Vases are involved.
How to Avoid this Rookie Mistake: Don’t skimp on a spirit level. Invest in a spirit level from a trusted brand and
learn how to use it properly.
Incorrect Paint Preparation Painting walls may seem like the simplest of all the DIY tasks, so much so that it often takes place as part of a painting party involving beer, buffets and a little bit of graft. However, there are a myriad of problems encountered by painters as they attempt to give a room a new lease of life and freshen things up. Many people seem to think the only consideration that needs to be taken into account when choosing paint is the colour. However, it is necessary to consider the surface of the painted area as some paints are ill fitted for use of certain surfaces. If you are stripping wallpaper, then painting, it is important to check the surface behind the paper before committing to a type of paint. Secondly, painting a wall is not a simple case of slathering on the paint. The surface needs to be prepared sufficiently so it is flat and receptive to the paint. This means painstakingly removing all wallpaper and filling in any gaps. And finally, it is vital that all areas around the painted surfaces are protected from the paint. This means that all floors and furnishings must be covered before work commences, lest paint splatter everywhere. Furthermore, pets and children must be kept away to safeguard against unwanted hand and paw prints. Sufficient drying time needs to be allowed before people can enter the room again to protect against unfortunate smudging accidents.
How to Avoid this Rookie Mistake: Research, prepare, be careful.
Are you a DIY god or do you struggle with the simplest of tasks? Let us know your top tips, or the story of your recent DIY attempts below!
(source link: http://firsthomenews.co.uk/common-rookie-diy-mistakes-avoid/)
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