WAYS OF TAKING ON DIY TO CUT YOUR COSTS
Looking for ways to save money on your project and planning to tackle some of the building work yourself ? Our expert builder Andy Stevens offers advice on what you should and shouldn’t attempt
Before embarking on any areas of DIY or building work, always consider what would be the worst outcome if it all went wrong. Are you doing a relatively simple task where very little could end in disaster? Go for it. But if there are potential disasters and you’re not confident you understand the whole process, maybe leave it to the professionals. For example, if you’re thinking about removing your existing kitchen, it’s not just taking off some doors, removing base and wall units, end panels and worktops. You’ve also got to think about everything from the plumbing to the electrics, including:
● Hot and cold feeds to the sink
● Cold feed to the dishwasher, washing machine, fridge freezer
● Waste pipes from appliances
● Gas connection to the hob
● Electrical feeds and live cables to appliances
● Possibility of asbestos under the old floor tiles.
I haven’t written this to put you off in any way, just more as advice on the potential pitfalls. Always look beyond just what’s in front of you as there may be hidden elements, especially in older houses. If in doubt, ask a tradesperson first.
REMOVAL TASKS TO TACKLE
Without a doubt, something that anyone can do themselves is the removal of old wallpaper and lining paper. Until you start, you have no idea how many layers there could be. We once had to remove seven layers of wallpaper with the bottom layer dating back to the 1950s. You can only imagine how long this took, especially as the older paste used was so much stronger. There are many different ways to remove wallpaper, but a steamer is the most common DIY method. Scoring the paper with a sharp blade and using a sponge with warm soapy water is another approach. Either way, it is not expensive to do this yourself and will keep costs down a lot, especially if the whole house needs doing.
Removing external buildings such as sheds, outbuildings or old garages is also something you can do. Be wary of any potential electrical or plumbing connections, and another note of caution is to check whether or not the roof on older buildings contains asbestos. If it does, you’ll need to call in an expert to remove it, but if it doesn’t then go for it! I know clients who have spent their whole working life in an office and absolutely loved smashing down an outbuilding!
If you’re renovating your house, dropping ceilings is another area that you can easily do. Lathe and plaster ceilings, plasterboard or even wooden ones can all be dropped relatively easily. Just mak
