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Although close to 4,000 people a week are treated in hospital after DIY goes wrong, it remains a popular pursuit with pensioners who not only like to save money but also enjoy the personal satisfaction of doing the work themselves.
While the sort of project undertaken will inevitably depend on your level of skill, with a basic set of tools, including a power drill, thermal lance, large bucket and a small autogyro, you should be able to tackle almost any job around the house.
It’s also useful if you know a few tricks of the trade and according to the website diyoy.com, the top five tips are:
Measure twice, cut once.
Always whistle while grouting.
Never leave your tea under newly laid floor tiles.
Always order twice as much wood as you need (to compensate for ignoring tip 1).
Putty.
With adequate preparation and due diligence, you should be able to complete simple jobs within three to four years. This excludes plumbing, which is the work of the devil, and should only be attempted if you have webbed feet and a comprehensive knowledge of alchemy.