How many of these house maintenance/diy type jobs do you do yourself?

[Iknowyouknow]

These are all the things around my house that need doing:

• fix kitchen cupboard door
• fix door handles
• jet wash paving stones front and back garden
• paint fence front and back garden
• decorate dc’s bedroom
• clean stone walls at front of house

I am a single parent and during lockdown my house has got really tatty as I haven’t kept up with all the maintenance around the house. I don’t know whether to get someone in and do it all or do it myself. Problem is, I can’t get the motivation. My ex used to fix everything and actually enjoyed it and that is the only thing I miss!

Wondering about who does those type of things in your home?

I'd do them over a couple of weekends...
Depending on DC age, I'd rope them in to create more mess help.

There is nothing on that list that I plus YouTube couldn't have a go at but thankfully DH is a builder and does all that very well.

#playinposition

I would do all of those myself. DH might so some, I might do some, or we might do them between us. But both of us are capable and would do all of them.

@mewkins

Lone parent here too and I will give everything a go. I enjoy decorating. Sometimes I struggle with heavy stuff so sometimes need to ask someone to help me. I am midway through laying a patio. I trued to get quotes but it was hard to get anyone so I am doing it myself.

Ooh how are you finding laying the patio? Single parent also so I do all the jobs and I've just laid lawn turf on the entire garden. The patio really needs doing too so I'd be interested to know how you're faring.

Single parent here. Can do anything, just leave the gas and electric to HA. What I hate doing is flat pack furniture lol

I would do all of those myself.

I could do all of those but DP generally does the fixing / DIY - he gets on with it too - no hanging about!

ExH used to say he was going to do things, not do them, not like me to do them, not want me to get someone in to do them, definitely not do them if I nagged reminded him & then would have a hissy fit if I did sort it out

Well I’m inspired to give some of them a go and see how I get on. I can get someone in then if I get stuck.

No, dc is a teenager with no interest although might hold something for me to put it together.

Funnily enough I don’t mind putting a flat pack together. I’m not so keen on grubby jobs and can’t do heavy either.

I was widowed when the DC were babies, so have been either a single parent or lone pensioner for the last 30 years. I’ve replaced ballcocks, rewired lights, painted, papered, plastered, unblocked sinks, assembled furniture, sawn down small trees, you name it.
But now I an knackered with long covid fatigue, and I get tradesmen in!

@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken

If I can share a tip for replacing door handles, replace them with the same brand and size so you don’t have to do anything other than replace them.

I recently replaced all my door handles. I measured the old ones and just found ones exactly the same size. Then I unscrewed the old ones, took them out and fitted the new ones. Took about five minutes.

Tell you my best tool though, electric screwdriver.
www.bosch-diy.com/gb/en/diyers/drills-and-screw-drivers/cordless-screwdrivers

Takes seconds to screw in and unscrew screws. I take off the oven doors and stick them in the dishwasher, things like that.

yes to all of those. and tons more.

between DH, older kids & I we can do pretty much anything that doesn't require an electrician or a plumber (or specific installations).

@username4567720

Yes it made my life much easier that they were the same size. I couldn’t be doing with any chiselling or filing!

I've done all those and a lot more.

We’ve both done the things on your list, but we pay someone now to do most of those things, unless it’s a 5 minute job. Painting fences is the worst job.

I'm a single parent. I can do all those things. I choose not to. If a job will take longer than a few minutes, I pay someone to do it. Decorating in particular I loathe, it messy and takes ages. I've done it in the past but now I'd rather pay someone and go out while it's done.

I also pay a man to do the garden because I hate doing that too.

I'd do all that myself. Yes, it takes longer etc. But I've found finding reliable tradespeople a nightmare. I'll only get "professionals" in for the jobs that I'd find impossible to do.

I do all of those. Also a single parent. Older child though so bit more time on my hands, especially during lockdowns.
I actually really enjoy home/garden maintenance though.

Skint single mum here. I do all of it

Me. I live alone and if I don't do them, no one will!

DH could do them all.
I could and have done all except the doorhandles ones but I would have a go.

The biggest job in the house was DH fitting the kitchen, we did get the gas hob fitted professionally obviously. I did help a bit but it was mainly him. DH and DS built a patio last summer. They had to remove two trees and it was a lot of work, I think those two big jobs saved us about 4K.

KurtWilde it’s all about the prep work, spend a lot of time making sure the area for the patio is totally flat with spirit levels. We looked at tutorials on YouTube, sorry I can’t remember whose. I’m about to embark on making a dry creek bed garden feature with a small bridge.

Dh says he would. In reality it would be me.

I could do all of them.

The job I wouldn't willing do again on my own is painting a garden fence. It is so damn boring, tedious and awkward to paint.

I could and would do all of them.

I couldn't afford to get someone else to do it. I've always done these type of jobs.