What is the biggest DIY challenge you've ever undertaken

[Gully]

not quite in the same vein, but i once rebulit an engine and have carried out several brake overhaul jobs. around the home ive done plenty of electrics and dug a big hole once for a pond.

...was the last of your accomplishments in Falmer?

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

It makes me laugh,I did some work for a couple the other day ( i am a carpenter) and they had fitted there own kitchen.....What a bloody mess!!.If they had got someone in and they had done this job they wouldnt have paid them.Now they have got to look at this for the next god knows how many years.
False economy unless you are pretty handy.

 

[Easy 10]

I can and have done plenty of wallpapering.
I don't need to get too involved with anything else though, cos I've got a dad. He's just done our hallway and kitchen flooring, and our new kitchen cupboards.

 

[Box of Frogs]

Just replaced the bathroom suite, have also done plenty of tiling, wallpapering, laminate flooring etc. Also laid a patio and built retaining walls in the garden. Will do basic electrics and plumbing but know my limits!

 

[Simster]

It makes me laugh,I did some work for a couple the other day ( i am a carpenter) and they had fitted there own kitchen.....What a bloody mess!!.If they had got someone in and they had done this job they wouldnt have paid them.Now they have got to look at this for the next god knows how many years.
False economy unless you are pretty handy.

I reckon these people were just clowns with a resentment towards paying for any sort of service. On the other hand, it seems to me that most DIY is all do-able, as long a) you have the TIME to do it properly, b) you're reasonably confident and c) you PLAN in advance. I might be wrong but I suspect that if you don't plan, then not only will you end up with a mess on your hands, but it'll take 5 times longer than it should, and be twice as expensive.

Personally, I wouldn't attempt any sort of plumbing because I don't have a clue. On the other hand, I find electrics a little easier to deal with. The other massive advanatage we have these days is the INTERWEB. You can be in the middle of big job, stumble across a problemette, and find a resolution on-line.

 

[champion7]

i've just ripped out my old bathroom including the plaster from the walls and replaced the whole lot.To make it maintenance free the walls are all tiled,there;s now a false cieliing in with downlights and the floor has been tiled.

 

[Rowdey]

It makes me laugh,I did some work for a couple the other day ( i am a carpenter) and they had fitted there own kitchen.....What a bloody mess!!.If they had got someone in and they had done this job they wouldnt have paid them.Now they have got to look at this for the next god knows how many years.
False economy unless you are pretty handy.

Something in the papers today, that said over £1.5M is spent just on getting professionals in to repair DIY bodge jobs..

I don't mind DIYer's and their mistakes - they are always SO grateful when you come round to fix for them

 

[cjd]

Had an old barn in France..........(three walls and a corrugated tin roof), which me and Mrs CJD converted into a four bed, two bathroom etc house. Took three years mind, but before then, neither of us knew a hammer from a screwdriver.

 

[Questions]

I reckon these people were just clowns with a resentment towards paying for any sort of service. On the other hand, it seems to me that most DIY is all do-able, as long a) you have the TIME to do it properly, b) you're reasonably confident and c) you PLAN in advance. I might be wrong but I suspect that if you don't plan, then not only will you end up with a mess on your hands, but it'll take 5 times longer than it should, and be twice as expensive.

Personally, I wouldn't attempt any sort of plumbing because I don't have a clue. On the other hand, I find electrics a little easier to deal with. The other massive advanatage we have these days is the INTERWEB. You can be in the middle of big job, stumble across a problemette, and find a resolution on-line.

Unless you know what you are doing you wouldn`t have a cat in hells chance of joining a worktop in a kitchen with proper mason`s mitres, correctly routing and bolting underneath.
As for hanging a door in your house, well I`ve never ever seen a amateur even get close to swinging one properly. Maybe they think they have done a decent job but a proper chippie would find half a dozen faults on each attempt.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

rewiring a plug (but even then need the instructions every time)

 

[scooter1]

Coving - f***ing coving. I had a crack at this last week and thought i'd be clever and do it without a mitre - WRONG!!!!!! I now have a 2nd hand mitre for sale, used only 8 times - 1 careful owner.
Do not attempt this seemingly simple task without it. I was amazed how easy it was to totally f*** it up, despite actually getting the angle right

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Coving - f***ing coving. I had a crack at this last week and thought i'd be clever and do it without a mitre - WRONG!!!!!! I now have a 2nd hand mitre for sale, used only 8 times - 1 careful owner.
Do not attempt this seemingly simple task without it. I was amazed how easy it was to totally f*** it up, despite actually getting the angle right

Always a good one that.

 

[Simster]

Coving - f***ing coving. I had a crack at this last week and thought i'd be clever and do it without a mitre - WRONG!!!!!! I now have a 2nd hand mitre for sale, used only 8 times - 1 careful owner.
Do not attempt this seemingly simple task without it. I was amazed how easy it was to totally f*** it up, despite actually getting the angle right

Isn't that what POLYFILLA is for?

 

[scooter1]

Isn't that what POLYFILLA is for?

There wasn't enough Polyfilla in B&Q to fill my first 2 attempts

 

[Barnet Seagull]

I fitted all the skirting board in our hall (also including routing out space in the back for loadsa cables. It looks well decent but f***ed If I'd do that ever again.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I'm currently replacing all the mortar on The Great Wall Of China. Only got 3,985 miles left to do now..

 

[scooter1]

I'm currently replacing all the mortar on The Great Wall Of China. Only got 3,985 miles left to do now..

See thats more a 2 man job. If you each started at opposite ends you could see who was the fastest based on where you eventually met up

 

[countrygull]

I once tried to artex my sitting room ceiling. It was one of the worst days of my life. I finished with a burnt arm, aching muscles and a ceiling that looked like it had been attacked by a giant spider wearing roller skates. Ever since my mantra for DIY has never changed:
Get a man in.

 

[NMH]

I once picked my nose, using only my finger.

I picked a bloody good nose, and I'm actually wearing it this very minute.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Airfix model of HMS Victory