As a female how good are you at DIY?

[chickenriceorspud]

I'm very impressed at all these fabulous woman that can do their own DIY. I need to learn more.

How handy are you?

I love woodwork, and I built our bathroom cabinet to my own specifications.
But I'm rubbish at plumbing and general household projects. DH is no better than I am so we usually pay for things to be done.

It's fine if you are motivated and interested in doing DIY. For me it's a complete turn off, too messy and longwinded. I want things done NOW or within a short time.

I do know how to do a few bits like turning off the water if there's a leak lol. But for everything else I get my builder (yes he is on call as he did a big reno job for me and can source trades quickly, a diamond he is!)

I live on my own and can afford to pay for it, so I do.

I'm rubbish at DIY - but amazing at making up flat-pack furniture. Everyone has their own skills.

See, you can say the word ‘women’! Rather than ‘females’.

I have no idea why you think that the strengths or weaknesses of the women or men in your family means you can’t develop skills in those areas.

I’ll have a go at pretty much anything with the help of YouTube, and am learning all the time. If I can repair or build something myself I will do.

I can do a few things.

I can paint and wallpaper, can revamp old furniture with those sticky covers to make them look like new. I can paint a decent mural.

I can assemble flat pack furniture by myself, even when it says min. two people needed (thank you physics!).

I can fix minor wood rot, strip oil-based paint and make an old garage paint job look like new. I can cut and lay carpets, including undercarpets, in rectangular rooms.

I can change toilet seats and door handles. I can affix curtain rails, hang pictures, put shelves up and even hang heavy mirrors.

I can caulk, tile and grout floors (never tried walls), fix stuck toilet flush buttons, resolve minor clogged pipes.

I can change light bulbs and broken light switches and know how to deal with wonky cables which are in the way.

I can clear a garden of weeds and debris and make it into a useable space, mow the grass, trim bushes, plant with reasonable success.

I still want to attempt faux pannelling, wall tiling, cementing, roof work, floor work, uplholstery, but I need to build up the tools for that, which takes money and more time than my day job normally allows for.

I always aim to learn a new skill every year - this year, I cleared an overgrown area in my garden (harder than it sounds) and made a space for my bins with cement tiles someone was giving away - the bin shelter I was going to build has to wait until I have the money for that. I also stripped the peeling garage paint that was probably 20 years old, spray painted the entire thing and fixed and repainted the wooden trim around the top so it doesn't look run down anymore. I also learned how to apply furniture sticky covers across uneven and difficult-to-cut areas.

Most jobs can easily be done by women alone. Some need to be done by professionals due to insurance (electrical and greater plumbing issues), and some do need a man for the sheer muscle when even physics can't help. But I grew up with an Eastern European mindset around DIY, which meant that women will attempt most DIY issues in the house, with or without help.

That sounds like an amazing course!

I'm alright. What I can't do - I pay someone to do.

DH doesn't do DIY at all as has zero skills in that area.

I'm a weapon now!

But my toilets have mis matched holes where the seat goes and I can't find the right gasket/ washer for the larger holes.

I can do all the basics why don’t you get yourself booked on some courses

I'm not English and grew up somewhere with a can do attitude and expectations that you do it yourself rather than pay someone. My childhood was helping parents to build houses including roofing,nailing, painting etc.

I'm rubbish at DIY. I can paint ok but would prefer to pay someone else to do it. Just CBA with any of it.

I don't really have the right attention to detail and I normally get something wrong the first time. I am on the whole better than DH but only because I'm more willing to have a go even if I don't understand it.

I can do flat pack furniture etc though DH is a bit better at this.

I managed to wire in a new garbage disposal under the sink. I can paint and (for a smallish hole) plaster. I eventually repressurized the tank for the filtered water tap, after an amusing and very damp episode in which a high pressure jet of water soaked the entire kitchen including the 10 foot high ceiling 😁😳

I bought a hammer drill and managed to put a big picture up on our ancient solid-brick-with-plaster-over-it exterior wall, though I can't remember how I did it now.

I have enormous respect for anyone who can do plumbing or electrics or build actual walls. I once knew how to wire a plug but they don't seem to make them that way anymore...

I have dyspraxia and would find it hard.
I find manual labour quite boring anyway, so am happy to outsource.

Between DH and I we do most things. He’s on plumbing and electrics, but I can tile, decorate, and do day to day repairs etc.

My DH is really good so I tend not to have to do too much but I try and learn something new each project we undertake.

I've been learning more skills this autumn, at work. Now I know how to use filler when painting, getting better at painting more smoothly too, and been working with a carpenter so know a lot more about working with wood now. And using the power tools.

I like doing flat pack furniture (basically grown up Lego), can do very basic stuff like unblock a toilet and unflip the fuses if electrics trip. I check the boiler pressure and top up as needed. I do all the gardening, possibly not very efficiently. However I am scared of anything involving drilling into a wall which is quite limiting... Can do basic decorating but never have time around the children and because we have so much clutter it would take forever to move it in order to actually start. I don't know what diy skills husband has because he has zero interest in improving the house and generally just starts ranting when something breaks in the house so it's a bit of a nightmare sometimes to get anything sorted. That also means I don't have the confidence to try doing things myself because I know I will get endless grief if it goes wrong. So less stressful to outsource.

Although l will paint paper etc l have always wanted to do more woodwork plumbing etc . I think l always stop myself due to lack of confidence and potential failure.

Now nearly retired l am going to have a go and if l mess up it won't the end of the world will it!

I am good!!

I can decorate, plaster, lay flooring, rehang doors fit carpets.

I don't do plumbing or electric/gas work - that's way beyond me.

But I can also weld, grind, cut, filler and fabricate and I'm pretty good at mechanics.

I have a wonderful dad who taught me everything he knows!!

I can do all the basics and I love a power tool. One of my best ever gifts was a cordless drill/driver. My knees are shot now so anything involving kneeling is out.
My mum was the DIYer ..unfortunately the DIY gene hasn't passed to my daughters. In their words why have a dog and wag yourself?