Has anyone who's useless at DIY done a house Reno?

[MilkshakeandChips5]

And how did you know where to start?

We're looking to buy a house and have grand ideas but in all honesty we're both pretty crap at all things DIY so feeling a bit intimidated by the idea. Instagram is making me feel like a failure in Lockdown as people show all there successes! Is it just a case of needing to budget more for someone else to do it or is there hope for us in become skilled DIY-ers?

We bought a Reno and I have had little DIY experience. I have learnt a lot on the job and we've still paid for trades to do the really hard stuff like plastering and fitting the kitchen.

A lot of it is just taking your time. We watched a lot of YouTube to learn stuff.

I will say it will probably take much longer than you anticipate. We have lived here over a year and a half and were not finished yet.

Also take into account how bad it could be . For instance every wall in our house had woodchip. Could have been a case of just stripping it but actually it brought all the plaster off the walls with it so it cost a lot more and took much longer to finish.

It'll definitely take longer than you think - everything DIY always does... Painting a room takes three/four times as long in prep and cleanup than it does in the actual painting, for example. By the time you're finished you'll be good at it!

The biggest thing I ever learnt is always always always put the effort into clearing your workspace before jumping in, it pays off hugely. Mostly in not twisting your ankle, falling off ladders or sawing through your own finger.

The next is to never buy the cheapest paint. Dulux is your baseline, anything cheaper than that is a risk of having to put double the coats on.

Third is never start anything under time pressure, as it'll always take longer than you thought. If you have a dependency like "paint the skirting boards before the carpet arrives", do the skirting boards and then order the carpet when they're done. Modern paint dries quickly, but doesn't harden fully for a while - sometimes weeks if you're using non-matt woodpaint - so a delay can be very useful.

Loads of tutorials on everything on youtube, the b&q website has a whole bunch of how-tos, lots of info around.

Don't even think about doing plastering, electrics, or pipework yourself though. Some plastic pipework is doable, but you won't know which until you've caused several floods (voice of experience!) so it's best avoided. Water is evil.

Don't look at Instagram except for ideas, remember people only post the best pics of the best bits!

Agree with the above (though we always use b&Q's own brand and its always been great!)

Oh and research your tradesmen! We ended up with a kitchen fitter who bodged out units and broke our worktops which cost us to replace.

Thank you - this is reassuring!

Did you design the basics yourselves or get help with an architect / builder?

Thank you - this is reassuring!

Did you design the basics yourselves or get help with an architect / builder?

How much are you planning on doing? If it's adding extensions, you need full on architects, builders, council signoff and all that! Don't even think of moving walls yourself.

For room changes, get your ideas together - just colours and ironmongery for most rooms, maybe windows, but kitchen/bathrooms need to be sketched out if you're replacing. Then get a kitchen/bathroom place, Wickes or fancier, to come out and do some work with you based on your design. This consultancy should be free - they're touting for your business but you don't need to give it to them.

Pay attention to where the water comes in and drains out go in your current layouts, as the more changes you'll need to make to the pipes the more the expense and effort ramps up. Try and avoid moving your toilet soil pipe to somewhere you can't get to the existing one, but shifting hot/cold water pipes and bath/shower/sink outflows is usually relatively easy as long as your floor can come up.

I would greatly recommend against embarking on a bathroom or kitchen without the help of someone who's already done it, and done it well. Hand it over to the professionals if you can't lean on a friend for two+ weeks for advice (and pay them well, you're saving thousands if you do!)

We tested our skills in our last house as we knew we would be moving from it at some point. It was a stepping stone house.

We had some basic DIY skills but we watched a lot of YouTube videos by DIY Doctor, Ultimate Handyman and Skill Builder. There are lots of pros out there sharing their knowledge. Watch several videos and see which ones you feel you can trust.

We have installed bathrooms, gutted it and fitted new bath, mixer shower, toilet, sink, tiled, fitted luxury vinyl plank flooring, redecorated, wallpapered, fitted curtain poles, blinds, but left plastering, electrics and carpet fitting to the experts.

Tools cost a lot, borrow if you can, a job will take longer than you think, always start in an area that will be covered up and take your time. The biggest one you can get wrong incredibly easily is tiling, it needs a lot of planning and thought. But it sounds like you are far from that sort of thing.

I drew our extension (after doing research locally online and looking at what other people had submitted, attending Home Building and Renovation Show and getting their magazine for a while too) then the architect just re-drew the same design and submitted it for planning. But it was a simple kitchen extension. I worked out all the unit runs, electric sockets especially for things like the dishwasher, fridge freezer (ie the hidden ones).

What are you looking to do?

Floorplan is attached... it's a little odd at the moment because of no family bathroom. We're not 100% sure yet but would like to extend across the back, move the shower room in the kitchen and do something with the basement.

I genuinely looked up DIY schools for idiots. I'm one of those people who would love to be creative but in reality I can't cut in a straight line (I'm 32 and my mum still despairs at my wrapping skills).

Thanks for all your help so far! It's appreciated!

Are you keen to do little bits but employ trades to do the majority?!

Yes - we have done this.
We have learnt on the job.
Part of the skill is learning which jobs are too big / complicated - you may start these and make things worse, or take so long so as to make life miserable. The kitchen or bathrooms for us fall into this category. So many interrelated parts needing trades.
Good luck

I think most things are doable, we bought a house that was livable but had a lot of issues. I'd agree with YouTube although make sure you're watching uk videos. Also forums are invaluable.
As above jobs always take 3 times as long as the pros, also you have to spend time learning how to do it which doubles it again. Second time you do it is a lot quicker. Also if you're only doing weekends it takes longer again. Also you don't have any weekends any more.
You spend a huge amount on tools but a lot less on tradespeople.
Try to focus your diy on the labour intensive stuff like painting and laying wooden flooring, rather then on things where the material is most of the cost.

Yes. We learnt on the job. Luckily my dad is extremely handy so he taught us lots of skills. We’ve just sold that one and about to do it all again.

Night school, Youtube and forums. None of it rocket science but just plan, some are best left alone but 90% of things can be done your self.