How do you get good at DIY? honest question - please be kind.

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We have never been confident in our abilities and so in the past have always hired professionals . This then becomes a vicious cycle - you don't learn because you've never done it etc. We now have fuck all money and a falling down house.
One job is to to repaint bubbling paint where we had some kind of leak - which has been fixed by a professional in our downstairs toilet, It's a small room and has a towel ladder in it and I am worried about making a massive bodge.

2 Reno's in and we've learned so much, we'd go back and do some things very differently now but that comes with the territory. Google and YouTube really are key, good tools, decent paint. Do a small section first and let it dry. My number 1 piece of advice is don't judge or make decisions based on anything still wet 😂

I started helping my df when I was 7.

he died when I was in my late teens, so wasn’t around to ask advice.

ive some DIY manuals that I used to use, but now I just Google or YouTube stuff.

ive done a couple of diy day courses which were excellent (unfortunately the place has now closed due to funding issues).

I hate doing plumbing and am not great at it (so I don’t!) and same with plastering.

my best skill is tiling, but tbh that just takes time, practice and patience.

start small and basic, buy the best tools you can afford and look after them (clean/oil etc)

watch numerous videos as everyone seems to have their own ‘special’ way of doing things to see which one looks the most suitable for you.

Few tips -

stir your paint really well every time before using it. I just use and old cracked wooden spoon

only dip the top 4cm of your bristles in the paint and don’t overload it. You can always add more

and don’t try to paint one thick coat - it’ll probably run and take ages to dry

protect your flooring. I just use old sheets

quit while you’re ahead - leave enough time to tidy and clean at the end

everyone makes mistakes - I lifted a large tub of paint last weekend to check the colour code. The lid wasn’t on as well as it should have been 😪and took me about an hr to clean up. I managed to rescue some of the paint from the floor (into an old large yogurt pot - I need to sieve it first though before I use it to get rid of bits)

Guys can I ask if you think DIY panelling is too hard for beginners

Anyone had any luck?

Definitely watch videos. You will get better with practice but as a beginner plan out the steps you need to take, make sure you have all the tools you need to hand. That sounds obvious but it makes it all smoother and calmer. Use plenty of dust sheets. I prefer using recycled flattened big cardboard boxes on the floor as sheets can be a tripping hazard. With that in mind think about avoiding accidents before you start. Not just to yourself but making sure paint can lids are replaced properly and paint pots you are using are stood where they can’t be knocked over. And measure twice before you cut anything. Good luck. I learned from necessity and grew to really enjoy it.

As many others have said, practice practice practice! Watching videos to learn the basics, but for me the most important thing to remember is that it won't be perfect first time. Be proud of your first attempt even if it has flaws and isn't quite how you'd like. Accept that there's likely to be room for improvement but don't be overly critical of yourselves. Good luck !

Don't feel rushed, it doesn't matter how long a job takes.
Invest time in preparation, from laying out all tools and things like paint to rubbing down and spot treatments. Wear old clothes - they will get stained.
Allocate a bit of time at the end of each session for tidying up, no matter how tired you are - you'll thank yourself afterwards.
Have a podcast or radio or music in the background.
Be prepared to have to run to the hardware store 50 times in the middle of a job.
Accept you will be swearing. Lots!
Practice will give you skills and confidence.
Stay away from electric and plumbing jobs.
Be proud of every achievement, however small.
Don't underestimate that some tools do need replacing sooner than you expected.

Tools, tools, tools!

Literally all DIY and any form of creativity is a million times easier and produces better results if you have the right tools and materials.

The right tool for the job is 90% of the job, whether it's the right screwdriver, the right drill and drill bit, the right paintbrush, the right paint, etc.

We started out on our DIY journey nearly 30 years and back then, we scrimped on tools/materials and did the old "make do and mend" approach. I think the only power tool we had was a drill! In reality, we just made things hard for ourselves, jobs took longer than they needed, there was a lot of doing things twice (or more), and the end result was never perfect.

Over time, with the help of You Tube videos and buying stuff from Amazon and Wickes (easy to return if it ends up not right for the job), we're now pretty good. We have a garage and two sheds full of tools and all kinds of other materials, including a scaffolding tower, probably two dozen different power tools, several tool boxes of different tools, screws/fixings for every occasion, workbenches, several power saws, several hand saws, portable lighting rigs, etc. We basically do everything ourselves now, short of roof repairs and gas appliances. We have just chipped all the plaster off a wall, replaced the wooden frame, put new plasterboard on it, replastered it, refitted the electrics, and decorated it and it looks amazing. Not bad for a couple of white collar office workers!

Preparation and practice

The influencer types make it look easy but it isnt. Saw one recently laying patio slabs! Best leave pro stuff to pros but you can learn basic stuff by watching youtube. Plumbing is a fun one, so easy to do but so easy to do wrong.

You need to start building up your tool box …..get some good basics….get yourself a Stanley fat max Rachet screwdriver to start off…. Don’t run before you can walk….know your limitations….never compromise safety