How to be a Homeowner and DIY Expert
Owning a home comes hand-in-hand with having a few DIY skills up your sleeve if you want to keep your investment in tip-top condition.
26/03/2023
There is a saying that, "with power comes responsibility" and being a homeowner fits this exactly. When you invest in a home you take on a huge responsibility - one that involves the daily care and maintenance of the property so that it does not lose its value. This means you will be spending a lot of time making sure that any repairs are taken care of, improvements are carefully considered and undertaken, and that you fix any minor repairs in and around the home that need to be done. That's a lot for anyone but even more so for someone who has no skills whatsoever. That's why it is a good idea to take a crash course in DIY and here are a few top skills you will want to learn as quickly as possible:
1. Make DIY fun
No one wants to spend their spare time or weekends on tasks that are frustrating, which is why you need to turn them into a fun project. It is always better to put a positive spin on things that need to get done, keeping in mind that it might not always turn out right but at least you tried! Get together with your partner and discuss what needs to be done so that you can have everything organised in advance
2. Go to YouTube
Social media sites make it sooo easy for anyone to find information on almost any subject, including DIY and home maintenance topics. Nowadays, a single sentence in Google will bring up hundreds of resources on a particular subject and you are sure to be able to gather advice, hints and tips, as well as helpful information on any tasks you need to complete. My only advice here is to view several resources and gather as much factual information as possible on the topic.
However, I always caution readers about overseas content and the difference between these countries and ours. Look for local content or as close as possible to our situation to find solutions,
3. Have an open mind
Not everything is going to be easy; some repairs might seem pretty straightforward but require a bit more effort while others may need you to put on your thinking cap. If you have an open mind before you start, you should be ready for anything that might happen. When doing it yourself, not everything is going to turn out perfect but you will also learn from your mistakes.
4. Think outside the box
This is my favourite one, mostly because it's what I do most of the time. You are not always going to be able to buy items you think you need, perhaps they are not available locally or they may be out of stock. I am constantly checking the Builders website and popping into the store to walk the aisles to see what's new. This keeps me up to date for new products and gives me ideas on things I can use, even in ways that they were not intended for - quick fixes if you will.
A perfect example of this is me using roofing washers on the bottom of legs and feet of furniture to protect floors, or what about using timber skirting to make decorative frames for art or mirrors. Both of these project examples use items you would not normally think about but it works!