To wonder if there’s a need for basic home maintenance training

[butterybiscuitbasic]

Ok this is inspired by another thread, but there seems to be a basic lack of knowledge when it comes to basic home maintenance. Things like bleeding radiators, draining washing machines, preventing damp and the like.

I know when I moved into my first home it was my dad who showed me this type of stuff, so perhaps as we become more a nation of knowledge type workers these skills are being lost, or we are just more likely to assume problems and call someone in.

However I think it would be useful if these “skills” were perhaps covered in school, or even if letting agents/mortgage providers offered some sort of basic online training or manuals.

"But I suppose I was actually paying attention rather than twatting around in class so it had a chance to sink in."

Why the attitude? We were never taught any of that in CDT.

"If they choose to pay someone else to do it it creates jobs."

And is much safer. People doing their own eletrics and plumbing sounds like dangerous to me. I'm not at all certain my landlord's insurance would cover me messing it up rather than calling him, who's a builder himself and also has good prices with tradespeople.

I thought there was an App for everything?

Oh hang on.........😂

“I think it’s the attitude of ‘somebody do it for me’ the young generation expect others to sort their problems not even thinking to to try for themselves.”

Why does this matter though? As I said before they’re dealing with much more high level, serious issues, instead.

They’re all working. In their free time they’re exercising, because their jobs are stationary. They’re working more hours than people did previously. They’re travelling the country and the world to visit the family that they’re no longer local to. It’s not like they’re lazy, which your post seems to no insinuate. They’re doing different things in a different world

Yes as would give people an idea of what is involved in a job even if they get some one in to do it and pay. A neighbor recently paid £1000 to change a door lock...yes she was ripped off but was clueless about what it involved !

Is there a certain thing that you all do to prevent damp

Yes ventilation is the main thing. Also heating. I remember years ago watching some programme about the poor standard of rental housing and they interviewed a couple who rented a beautiful old, stone house that was covered in mould. And the reason it was mouldy was because they couldn't/wouldn't switch the heating on - ever. The landlord was being blamed but it wasn't his fault at all.

I think it’s the attitude of ‘somebody do it for me’ the young generation expect others to sort their problems not even thinking to to try for themselves.

Maybe if the old gen actually taught the younger one how to do stuff and be independent... 🤔 now who is actually lazy, eh? Couldn't be bothered teaching children about sockets and stopcocks or how to cook but somehow it's their fault.

We don't expect others to sort our problems. We didn't ignore climate change for 30 years, caused economic crashes and number of wars around...
However, we are now expect to give up luxuries we work for (on average more hours than previous gen), somehow turn around climate change, buy an overpriced house with nothing, etc etc.
When our parents said "stop crying or I will give you a reason" we expected to get hit. Not that they will ruin the economy, housing market and planet🙄

I absolutely think people should know basic DIY and how the house/flat works, but I am absolutely against "The young gen just expect others to sort their problems". Because if your child has no life skills... Well it's your fault, not theirs...

I think it’s the attitude of ‘somebody do it for me’ the young generation expect others to sort their problems not even thinking to to try for themselves.

Who are the "young generation" and what evidence is there that they are less good at DIY than their parents were at the same age?. I'm in my 50s I didn't have much of a clue about DIY when I was younger. My mother is in her 80s and has never had any idea about DIY.
If anything I think people and in particular women have got better because they can watch a youtube videos.

The idea that we need lessons on preventing damp is particularly ridiculous. Surely all you need to do is tell your children to open the window after taking showers etc and won't that happen anyway when they are living at home?

@woodchuck - just read the responses... drying over radiators, using heated airers, etc - all mentioned by posters above.

Placemarking to read later, as have just bought my first house, on my own and in my mid-30s, and panicking because I know very little about basic house maintenance. I really don't want to have to rely on professionals and would like to be more competent. I guess I'll learn as I encounter problems

*@woodchuck99

I said open the windows after having a shower etc by which I meant open the windows if you are doing anything that requires ventilation. Obviously the best thing is to dry clothes outside but not everyone has a garden.

just read the responses... drying over radiators, using heated airers, etc - all mentioned by posters above.

I said open the windows after having a shower etc by which I meant open the windows if you are doing anything that requires ventilation. Surely people tell their children that when they are at home anyway and even if they didn't it is a short conversation and not something that requires "lessons".

Why purposely ignore the second half of the actual sentence where I’ve suggested the letting agents or mortgage providers could offer the same thing? I’m not bashing schools in any way whatsoever.

The letting agents probably do provide advice on damp which would be to not dry clothes in the house which would be difficult if there is no garden. Not sure what advice you think mortgage providers should provide. Why would they care if you can do DIY?!

I think it’s the attitude of ‘somebody do it for me’ the young generation expect others to sort their problems not even thinking to to try for themselves.

it's half and half.
It's true for some, but others prioritise their own time over diy - I could clan my own windows or wash my own car and my own bins, I just chose not to do it myself.
I can change the washer of most taps, and on balance it probably doesn't take much longer than trying to track a decent plumber, and it costs a lot less, so I do that.
I could paint my own house, but I'd rather pay someone and not spend god knows how many weekends stuck here when I could be out with my kids.

My time is my most valuable luxury at the moment. When I was on maternity leave, I could a lot more. The fact that we can hire so many people to do jobs we don't to or don't know how to is a luxury, why not use them. You can hire someone to build your Ikea furniture, that's genius. Not something I would bother doing, but why not.

Probably boasting but I don't care!
On Saturday DD3 arrived to drop DGC off for a sleepover. Her tyre pressure warning had triggered about a mile away from us.
She put the car next to our workshop, chocked the front wheels, dismounted her spare, jacked the car up and proceeded to change the wheel. She was ably assisted by DG2 who is two and a half.
We have 3 DDs, all of whom can change their own tyres, check oil/water & washer fluid. They can re-wire plugs and use power tools safely. Just additional life skills imparted during the growing up process.

just one question

why - in this day and age - with moulded plastic plugs would anyone ever need to rewire a plug? The thing being touted as the benchmark of ability is outdated and has safety issues if errors are made - which is why they changed EVERYTHING to moulded plugs - for safety.

"Surely people tell their children that when they are at home anyway and even if they didn't it is a short conversation and not something that requires "lessons"."

Yes, I do this, but I've stayed with people who've insisted that I have the window open DURING my shower, which I think is slightly cruel.

When I had a damp patch in my flat it was because moisture was coming in from outside. Hardly my fault.

Where I am now there are brown patches on the wall from where water came down from the neighbour above. Again, not my fault - or the neighbour's.

As mentioned before, I have no choice but to dry clothes inside. .

Her tyre pressure warning had triggered about a mile away from us.
She put the car next to our workshop, chocked the front wheels, dismounted her spare, jacked the car up and proceeded to change the wheel.

Bit OTT. May just have needed topping up.

In the case of a tyre pressure warning I'd have detoured to a garage to top up and then to a tyre shop for a repair/ replacement. Changing the wheel means running on a space saver spare which I avoid where possible.

Bit OTT. May just have needed topping up.

indeed, why on earth not going to a garage first to put air yourself first?

why - in this day and age - with moulded plastic plugs would anyone ever need to rewire a plug?

because Boots only sold me continental electric toothbrush and I don't want to start collecting adapters.

@woodchuck99 I’m a tenant and moving again this week. In an expensive area of London with well known agents - they don’t even meet you the property to give keys so, no, they don’t give this advice to tenants.

And mortgage lenders should want to protect their investment (and it is theirs until the mortgage is paid off).

When my parents bought their first home it was subject to them undertaking certain repairs by a certain date, so they do have w vested interest. Same reason they won’t lend on properties with structural issues etc.