DIY around the home can be easy to tackle...if you know how. With our help, your DIY projects can run smoothly...and we'll either help you find a suitable DIY 'kit' solution, or point you in the direction of a professional.
Planning
Yes, we know - planning sounds boring!...but it usually saves time in the long run. When planning, you get the chance to not only get excited about the project, but helps you think the job through to finish, make early decisions about the difficult colours and design-schemes, and get everything together - tools, materials, people - before you start work!
Budgeting your DIY Project
When starting DIY, it is easy to get 'carried away'. If you are redecorating a room, begin by making the decision about how far you will - and can afford - to go. Ask yourself questions:
- Will you just repaint the walls, ceiling and woodwork?
- Will you be papering the walls for the first time, or do you want to replace the paper you already have?
- How about changing the carpet and curtains, even the upholstery and the lighting?
These decisions will often depend on - and vary the size of - your budget.
You may be able to quickly repaint a room for just £50, but add some wallpaper and you will be doubling your spend. Bigger changes may mean a dip into your savings. The choice is yours, of course, but have the best possible idea of the cost, before you start.
The BBC's Paint Calculator is a useful tool to help get you to that first stage. Once you are ready, look into paints - you want good value, ethical paints Buy Paint Online.
Don't Do It Yourself (DIY), get it Done for You (DFY)!
Over the years, we have witnessed an increasing number of people being concerned about their 'botched' efforts at DIY affecting their house prices. One of the options that relieves this pressure is to engage a professional and have the DIY project 'DFY' (done for you).
We know that nearly 50 per cent of Britons don't like DIY - this, coupled with a lack of time or skill (or both), makes this an attractive option for many people. Home improvements can make a tangible difference to the value of your home, but a bad standard of work can drag the price down. The most likely works to be avoided by DIY-ers are electrical, plumbing and extension works. Not only do you have to be registered and qualified for most trades, but these involve a lot of skill.
The obvious down-side to engaging these trades is that the convenience and skill are in demand, and with demand comes commercial pricing. Hourly charges and call-out fees for builders vary across the country. Some builders always charge a call-out fee whereas others don't (but may add travel time instead). To obtain the exact fixed cost of a job, you should always request a quote before any work is undertaken. The quote should include a schedule, especially if it's a large job. This will provide a breakdown of costs for each of the main stages of the work. Finally, remember that a very cheap quote may mean the use of poor quality materials or inexperienced workers. To avoid this, it's recommended to request at least three quotes before selecting a contractor.
DIY Kit Solutions
If your DIY project is smaller, and you do not want to run the risk of creating your DIY solution from scratch, a popular idea is to buy a ready-to-assemble DIY kit. These kits are available for everything from standard furniture and guttering kits to home sauna kits and solar heating kits; by buying online these will often save you money, time, effort...and - most importantly - allows you the satisfaction of building something yourself.
The Home & Garden Centre offer 'DFY' (home assembly) services on most of our larger items such as shed kits, home garage kits and garden summerhouses; please enquire if you would like a quotation to install one of our other items at your address.
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