DIY and do you have a go yourself?

Discussion in 'The Lounge - Off Topic' started by onoski, May 24, 2008.

  1. onoski

    onoski Terabyte Poster

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    Hi All, hope you're all okay and having an okay weekend? Well just out of curiousity I'd like to know if you carry out DIY yourself such as home decorating, minor fixes, painting and floor laminating etc or do you get a professional to do it.

    I recently moved house and bought some paint from B&Q doing some painting and have found this to be both challenging and not as easy as I'd thought originally. In other words house painting has not been easy for me and it's quite skillful and hard work all together.

    What's your take on this or is it the opposite and am just too lazy:)
     
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  2. NightWalker

    NightWalker Gigabyte Poster

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    I love DIY, but your right, its not all as easy as it looks, and takes longer than you think!
     
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  3. greenbrucelee
    Highly Decorated Member Award

    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    I wouldn't do it, I cant be arsed. I would rather someone who knows what they are doing do the job.

    If its something simple like building a flat pack desk then I will do that but I wont paint etc.
     
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  4. ffreeloader

    ffreeloader Terabyte Poster

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    I've always been DIY from household repairs to automotive repairs. It's almost like a family tradition. My old man had an automotive repair business and we built his shop from the ground up. We also did all our own house painting, both inside and out, plus plumbing, appliance repair, electrical work, automotive work, etc... when I was growing up and I've just naturally carried that out in my own life too. I had never hired anything done besides some machine work one time that I didn't have the equipment for until I couldn't physically do the work anymore after my back went away on me.

    It feels very strange to go to someone else to have work done. I doubt I'll ever feel at ease with it, and it's a much more expensive way to live.
     
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  5. onoski

    onoski Terabyte Poster

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    Wow! freddy that's impressive as I'd love to have those skill set and yep! hiring someone to get a job done is very expensive. Well, at least I got no excuse of not having a go at painting then:)
     
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  6. Raffaz

    Raffaz Kebab Lover Gold Member

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    I do all my DIY myself. I rennovated a property about 5 years ago and done pretty much everything apart from the central heating and windows.
     
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  7. onoski

    onoski Terabyte Poster

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    Wow! I really do admire the multi skill set as you'd get to do things for yourself well as well as without having to pay someone lots of money to get things done.
     
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  8. Toasty

    Toasty Byte Poster

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    I am happy to nearly anything DIY, Had to really as when I got my first house it needed some work doing to it and could not afford to pay someone to do it for me.

    The only thing I am not to keen on is major wiring jobs as if you get it wrong it might just be the last mistake you make. At least with plumbing all that will happen is you will get wet :eek:

    Can be good fun and very different from everyday work.
     
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  9. David S

    David S Bit Poster

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    I'm a self employed decorator so I do all my own DIY when I get the time. One thing I would say is that you can normally tell when somebody has done their own decorating. It looks easy, but to get a quality job you really need a tradesman. That said some people get a feeling of satisfaction after doing their own work and a top quality job is not always needed.
    David.
     
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  10. videoman

    videoman Bit Poster

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    I usually do everything, decorating, plumbing, fitted kitchens and electrical work (although we shouldn't). I'm now trying to add PC repairs to my list!
     
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  11. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    My wife loves doing stuff like that. Me, on the other hand... I'm relatively useless for stuff like that. I can skillfully repair a PC or a server... but I'm a klutz when it comes to anything handy around the house.
     
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  12. simongrahamuk
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    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    well I'm not that big a fan of DIY, but I will usually have a go. Infact yesterday I finished putting up a new fence, whith my dads help of course, who is very DIY orientated.

    As my other half is such a perfectionist I usually get told that I'm useless at DIY anyway. If it does what its supposed to to though.....

    8)
     
  13. GiddyG

    GiddyG Terabyte Poster Gold Member

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    I don't mind painting, replacing a celing rose or changing washers on taps; however, I wouldn't take on a big job such as a kitchen refit. I always worry that it would cost me twice - once for me to do the job that then needs a professional to come along and sort out later on.

    That said, I am trying to persuade my wife to let me tile the kitchen floor... but, for some reason, she doesn't seem too keen... :blink
     
  14. onoski

    onoski Terabyte Poster

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    Ha! I know the feeling as fitting a kitchen should definately left to the pro's. On the other hand painting, laminating, the floor and stair case would be done by me.
     
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  15. Bluerinse
    Honorary Member

    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    I do everything myself too, wiring, plumbing, kitchens, painting, plastering anything. The biggest job i undertook was to fit my own central heating, the boiler was great fun.

    I take my time and have a perfectionist of a wife too. My results are as good as any professional i have seen but then again I've been doing it for over 30 years.
     
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  16. Mitzs
    Honorary Member

    Mitzs Ducktape Goddess

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    I am with freddy. My dad was like this and I am to a degree and so is joe way more then me. I can do my own oil change if needed have even replaced the breaks on my cars when I live out of state on my own, have helped my dad and joe rebuild engines but they are the pros at that not me. We are in a house now that was built in 1954 and we are going rethough it a little at a time so walls are ripped out for rewiring the whole house. kitchen and most of the living room is done. He redid all the plumbing as soon as we moved in and had to replace the kitchen floor. We are going to have to do that again it seems. It seems we have freaking termintes!:eek: As for the flooring that is what joe makes a living at doing. So yes he made sure I learned this too the 13 years that I worked with him. But the day I quit I told him I have forgotten everything I ever knew about it and won't ever do it again. :biggrin
     
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  17. onoski

    onoski Terabyte Poster

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    Now that is what I would love to have as a skill set as well but would have to settle for painting, floor laminating and gardening for now.

    I do a brilliant job too and would love to know how to do my own plumbing but would leave the electricity, fitting kitchen and gas installation for the tradesman or professsional in that field. Thanks for sharing all it's been an eye opener:)
     
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  18. fortch

    fortch Kilobyte Poster

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    Oh noes! Not the dreaded termintes :twisted: Hmm.... I wonder if BM has a definition readily available for this elusive creature???:p
     
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  19. fortch

    fortch Kilobyte Poster

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    Oh, and yes...most definitely DIY. If you want something done right, you better do it yourself.

    That said, there *are* certain situations that require skilled professionals, but I'll avoid it if I can.
     
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  20. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Hate it. All of it. That's why I have a job that pays well enough that I don't have to worry about doing any of it myself.
     
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