3 Things I Daren’t DIY During a Renovation
It’s safe to say I LOVE getting hands on and tackling renovation work myself… I’m never too far away from a paint brush or drill and you’ll often spot me looking up how to do something on Youtube. That being said, there’s definitely some boundaries I have learned to set when it comes to tackling certain jobs. Whilst currently renovating my second project home, I wan’t to share the 3 things I daren’t DIY during a renovation myself, and why!
*This post is sponsored by Hillarys.
Let’s face it. We’ve all done some DIY in our time and there’s no denying that it can be hugely rewarding. Not only does it offer an overwhelming sense of accomplishment but it’s also the best solution to upgrade your home without breaking the bank. I personally very much enjoy doing it too! DIY for me is a form of escapism, allowing my mind to get lost and be fully absorbed in whatever project I am working on.
When it comes to major home improvements however, it’s best not to brush aside the skilled tradesmen! Failed DIY can not only compromise safety but it can end up costing even more to rectify the mistakes. So with this in mind let me share with you what I have learned (in some cases the hard way) and what 3 home projects should definitely be left to the professionals!
1. Replacing Light Fittings
I’ll be the first one to put my hands up here and say that YES, I did research on how I could attempt to do this myself. I was swiftly greeted by a stern look from my partner and realised this wasn’t an option, and I’m thankful I didn’t! It’s a general rule that you should never DIY any electricals in your home. For a DIY novice, simply changing a light fitting might seem slightly more achievable though, as opposed to a full re-wire or rearrangement of plug sockets. Understandably it could be more tempting… But, don’t go there!
It’s one thing to to change a light bulb but actually playing with your mains can cause some major issues. It can mess up your fuses, compromise your house insurance and quite literally can give you a massive shock. It’s definitely not worth risking your safety or insurance and is wayyy too dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Luckily for me, my brother is a trained electrician so I’ve had him come round to replace some of our light fittings. It gives me huge peace of mind knowing that it’s been done safely and correctly – No lost sleep for us!
An alternate solution?
If you can’t afford a electrician to replace your light fittings then here’s a handy solution to get you by in the meantime. Opt for statement lampshades instead and choose ones that are large enough to hide the existing fitting. I have done exactly this in both our living room and bedroom. The light fittings themselves are a bit of an eyesore but the lampshades are large enough to make great statement pieces that distract your eye away from the fitting. A winning solution!
The white shade in our bedroom was a bargain £15. I used a hot glue gun to attach fringing that matches my bedroom decor and adds a much needed pop of colour!
2. Window Dressings
Now this is a BIG one for me. We live in a Victorian house and all of our windows are blessed with original architraves. Attempting to DIY the window dressings myself was a daunting task to say the least! I didn’t want to risk ruining the architraves by incorrectly drilling holes to fit new blinds after spending so much time sanding them down and repainting them. It was a big no no.
On top of that, we have beautiful square bay windows at the front of our house that make a huge feature in our living room and bedroom. I knew it would be very tricky to measure them accurately and get blinds that would fit snugly into each of the windows without interfering with the next one. The corners of the square bay windows are so neatly aligned that getting the precise measurements was crucial. It was not a mistake I was willing to take and the thought of spending money on blinds and messing up the measurements wasn’t worth the risk or stress!
It’s time to call in the professionals…
So with this in mind, we decided to contact the professionals at Hillarys who instantly put our minds at ease. Our advisor, Kevin, has been working in the company for a whopping 37 years, so it’s safe to say he definitely knows a thing or two about window dressings! Hillarys offer a measure and installation service included within their prices. So with that in mind, along with Kevins extensive experience, it gave us huge peace of mind. This also meant that we could focus our renovation energy elsewhere in the house, in an area where we felt fit!
Living room venetian blinds in Illusions Natural Stone.
Since our windows dressings have been installed there’s no denying that this was the best decision we made. You can instantly tell that the quality and craftsmanship of both the product and installation massively shines through. The overall outcome is without a doubt incomparable to something I could achieve… I daren’t even think about how our windows would look right now if we hadn’t got the professionals in!
Voile Curtain in Serenity Seaglass. INTU Micro Blinds in White.
All of the windows in our home have been carefully considered and Hillarys helped us determine what would be right for each room in terms of practicality and style. They have an endless selection of varying products to suit any home style. Whether you want to opt for a traditional aesthetic, or go more contemporary… They have you covered (pardon the pun!).
Want to request an appointment?
To book an appointment with an advisor, click on this link and quote ‘GEMMA15’ for 15% off your full order. The discount is in addition to other promotions and applies to all Hillarys curtains, blinds, shutters & awnings.
Alternatively, if you’d prefer to book an appointment by phone, then call 0800 587 6402.
3. Radiator Replacements
So this is something I definitely learned the hard way. But might I add, I didn’t make the same mistake twice! As the saying goes ‘If you learned from it, then it wasn’t a mistake. It was a lesson.’ . At least this is what I always tell myself to make me feel better ha!
In our previous house, our living room radiator was in the most awkward of places. Situated on the wall opposite our TV, and on the only wall that our sofa could sit up against. We had a velvet sofa so a radiator behind it wasn’t an option and I saw myself fit to remove it myself. And there lies my mistake. Long story short, I didn’t cap off the pipes correctly and we ended up with a mini flood underneath our house and on the living room floor. Luckily, it really was only a mini flood and didn’t result in any long lasting damage.
Needless to say, when we moved to our current home I definitely dodged touching the radiators myself and we had all of ours replaced by professional plumbers. Plumbing generally lies under the same rule as electrical work, although not quite as much of a safety risk it can be damaging to your house if things don’t go well. Definitely a DIY to avoid!
My plumbing skills venture as far as fixing a leaky tap, and just two weeks ago I proudly patted myself on the back for successfully replacing our hot water tap filter. But that’s as far as I go. Radiators quite honestly terrify me now!
‘If in doubt, call them out!’
And there we have it. My 3 things I daren’t DIY during a renovation myself. Now please take these notes from me as someone who works in the interiors industry and is currently renovating their second project home… I hope this has helped deter anyone who may be eyeing up their light fittings or questioning where to drill in their window architraves!
DIY is definitely something I am a huge advocate for, but there’s a reason why there are skilled and trained professionals within different DIY sectors. If in doubt, call them out!
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