DIY Tips For Beginners

Home DIY can be very challenging for some, for others it’s as easy as pie, even the seasoned professionals can make mistakes when it comes to alterations around the house. During the time of writing of this article, during the COVID 19 lockdown, online searches for DIY tips are at an all time high (giving the impression that a lot of people are giving it their first try!). So here are some great tips to help you get started with DIY around the house – whether it’s a house you intend on selling, developing, or even possibly just your own property that you live in.

Budgeting 

The first piece of advice is to shop for what you need, and know how much you can spend. That means a trip to a large DIY and home improvement store, remember to take a detailed list of what you need. The exact pain colours, more nails than you need, and the right wood for shelves are examples of what could be on the list. Try looking for what you need on an online store and seeing if your finance can stretch as far as you need it to.  

Invest in tools 

As previously stated, first time DIY enthusiasts might not have all the correct tools for the job. This means at least a quick internet search for the job you’re planning on doing. If you need to put up a shelf, for example, you need to make sure you not only have a good drill, shelf brackets, nails, but that you also have to make sure you have a spirit level and even a screwdriver. 

Know when you have stretched yourself too far

Sometimes it can be hard to admit that the job has taken you too far into unknown territory. DIY is hard, and if you are inexperienced it can be quite tricky to throw in the towel. Some people will try and complete a job that can’t be done and needs to be given up. For the continued example of a shelf, if you discover a wall that needs plastering, or find that the nail doesn’t hold, it might be time to admit that there’s something seriously wrong with the wall.

Aim for repurposed materials

Try and use things that you may throw away. This saves money, makes sure you don’t have to go to the dump quite as often, and it also can give your house a great feel to it. This is mainly for the smaller jobs, a lot of off cuts can be used in the garden and a lot of jobs can be done at the same time (though not strictly repurposing, your tape you use when repainting a wall can be used to touch up a floor). In our continued example, scraps of wood are great for shelves. 

Set your sights on what you want to achieve before attempting to do it

Something that is clear by this point of the blog post is that DIY can be a slippery slope and you can very easily start to slide down this slope uncontrollably. There is a difference between starting a job and realising that there’s other work to be done around it, and getting caught in a circle of DIY where you can’t put the drill, paint brush, or tool down. If you go to put up a shelf on a saturday afternoon and find yourself still at the same wall the next sunday, something has gone very wrong…

If renovation is something you want to learn more about, and you’re interested in home alteration, there are many more blogs on this subject. What’s more, there loads of great Nick Fox books available where you can learn all about how to renovate a property – have a look at them today. 

Nick Fox started his property investment career 10 years ago and his portfolio has grown to one of the largest in the UK. Nick now mainly focuses on HMOs (houses in multiple occupation) and works to help others achieve property success too. Visit here to find out how he can help you.

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