To ask if you do your own DIY and can you help me please?

[UncleBunclesHouse]

After a blazing row this morning with DH who has yet again said ‘yes’ to doing a DIY type task I’ve asked him to do and then doing absolutely nothing about it (then having the nerve to say I’m ‘going on at him’ for getting annoyed) I have decided I’m done, I’m not asking anymore and I’m going to learn to do it myself.

I’m really not naturally good at practical things in general and when I say DIY it’s probably not really - things like changing spotlight bulbs, changing inner tubes/tyres on the buggy etc etc.

If anyone does this stuff and is ok at it, could you give me some tips? What are the basic things I need and where can I learn ‘for dummies’ style? Have tried watching a few you tube videos before but they often seem to assume a basic level of knowledge which I don’t have...TIA

Echoing YouTube. God send when it came to tiling my kitchen. I don't hire people to do anything except electrics, gas and plumbing anymore. This week is laying laminate in my kids bedrooms, putting up new bunkbeds and drawer sets and making a start on soundproofing the garage.
Though personally I wouldn't be lifting anything heavy or getting in the loft when pregnant.

The washing machine, if its freestanding you might just need to adjust the feet to level it out. That sound is hell.

@Etulosba

It's surprising, but when hanging something like a gate, even if it feels light, you can get stuck holding it in position and it doesn't feel light for very long.

Make a couple of wooden wedges. Use them to take the weight and make fine adjustments to the height.

Good advice, but in practice, gates and doors can rock out of position, or even slip. For a pregnant woman, that is a real risk.

Good advice, but in practice, gates and doors can rock out of position, or even slip. For a pregnant woman, that is a real risk.

Agreed. Maybe wait a day or two after the baby is born.

@Changi oh no it is an old house!!

@babapaul yes that’s the one! They make it look so easy though, i don’t think it’s that easy in real life!

@CrotchBurn @BornIn78 I don’t think that approach is much use at the moment when no one can come round..interesting idea though

[quote UncleBunclesHouse]**@CrotchBurn* @BornIn78* I don’t think that approach is much use at the moment when no one can come round..interesting idea though[/quote]
You can get tradespeople to come round - they can't do their jobs from home

I'm sure you can get a foam to go in buggy tyres which makes them puncture proof and stops them going down? I had an out n about nipper with the same problem so can totally relate! Our local pramshop would repair any punctures for £3 a time though so I never used the foam.

Go for it with those jobs though, you'll get a lot of satisfaction doing it yourself. Learn as you go so don't expect the most perfect result first time you use a drill, hammer, paint brush, etc. It will get easier though.

First find the model manual (online) for what you're trying to fix (e.g. you mentioned a buggy wheel. Look for highly rated lessons on Wikihow and Youtube but you must watch/read the task many many times before you tackle it. Have all your materials lined up and ready and rehearse their order of use. If you don't do this then it will be a case of "fail to prepare - prepare to fail". Before disability I've installed bathrooms, plumbed and wired kitchens, painted walls and finished floors from reading a good book and can still figure stuff out now that internet advice is available.

You can buy ine of these on amazon to help detect where the safest place to drill is.

www.amazon.co.uk/s?ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_2_8&crid=3UWYU8GV7HT3R&sprefix=Diy+wire%2Caps%2C160&k=diy+wire+detector&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Oh no it is an old house!!

Then be very careful with where you drill. Seriously.

If it is anything like ours, there can be wires anywhere in the walls and not all of them will have the protective metal shielding.

@TeeBee

I'd say get yourself a good set of basic tools. I have no prior experience whatsoever but manage to fix dishwashers, washing machines, cooker fans, boilers all from you tube videos and looking at instruction manuals drawn from the internet. So long as you can read, you can usually work it out.

Boilers? Yeah its easy if you're gas safe registered as a boiler repair involves working with gas, so only Gas Safe registered engineers can legally work on a gas boiler

Boilers? Yeah its easy if you're gas safe registered as a boiler repair involves working with gas, so only Gas Safe registered engineers can legally work on a gas boiler

Incorrect. You are only required to be qualified if working on the gas side of the boiler. Working on the wet side is fine.

get some slime for the buggy, then wait till after the baby is here before you do any of the other jobs. if you need them doing before then, tell dh "you'll get a man in" to do it. bet he does it then!

I wouldn't touch yhe boiler bar re pressuring it. Mighy invalidate the insurance🙄 Annoyingly

[quote UncleBunclesHouse]**@CrotchBurn* @BornIn78* I don’t think that approach is much use at the moment when no one can come round..interesting idea though[/quote]
Tradespeople are allowed in your home to work, you just need to be not near them. The government have even confirmed it. Repairs, maintenance and home improvement work is allowed in tier four.

You tube all the way.

Persist with finding videos, what I like to do is watch several about the subject to get a feel for the work then I specifically look for beginner or basic videos. I will watch maybe 6-10 videos to get a good sense of how they approach it. There really are some amazing people who are willing to share all the tips!

It’s all trial and error. Good luck! Go for it!

In the past I have found putting a status of Facebook asking for help, I.e.

"Can anyone help me change an x?"

"Does anyone know how to do x?"

Works really well...they're like, why are you asking everyone else?!

Followed by, "I can do that!"

To which I said, "Can you? Show me then!"

Lol

Or google - they're both effective

I also re-pressurise my boiler frequently, it's very easy

YouTube.

Watch. Watch again. Watch with parts in hand, pausing to take in the parts you have. Watch and start doing, whilst pausing the video or repeating as needed.

Watch more than one video as different people have different techniques and one may suit you better.

We (DH and I) do lots of DIY (new central heating system minus radiator, fitted a kitchen, some electrics, fixing stuff etc). We almost exclusively use YouTube.

I read about an older man who was making a variety of videos to show kids who don't have parent figures who can pass on these skills. Will see if I can pull it up.

Great book here.

I'd definitely call a tradesman for the washing machine.