How handy are you with a hammer? Apparently, 54% of Britons say they’re capable of DIY (although just 9% reckon they’re very capable). Whichever group you fall into, it can be tempting to try and save a bit of dough by tackling some home maintenance yourself.
Certain jobs, however, should be left to the professionals, and with good reason. Botched DIY attempts at tile grouting, plumbing and structural work can be incredibly costly and cause further issues in other areas of your home.
National DIY Day took place on April 2nd, encouraging Brits up and down the country to have a stab at the jobs they’ve been putting off for months. However, to find out which DIY jobs you should steer well clear of, we spoke to Josh Jinks, Brand Manager at UltraTile, to find out the huge costs you could incur by taking them on yourself.
5. DIY roofing work
Fixing a leaky roof sounds easy, doesn’t it? Just patching up the hole and applying new tiles over it sounds like it would be simple. Get this one wrong, however, and you’ll find yourself paying the price.
A single poorly fitted tile could lead to water ingress, mould and damp – and if your replacement tile comes loose, it could knock adjacent tiles, leaving huge chunks of your roof exposed!
Possible repair costs:
- Replacing a few slipped tiles (£500 – £2,000).
- Full roof repair (£5,000 – £12,000).
- Water damage from leaks (£2,000 – £5,000).
4. Tiling or grouting fails
This is another home job that Brits up and down the country try – and fail – to get done properly, leading to thousands of pounds worth of repairs. Common tiling mistakes include laying tiles unevenly, using the wrong tile adhesives or forgetting to waterproof a wet room altogether before applying your tile and adhesives.
The result? Water ingress, damp, structural damage and more, all of which can easily spread from your bathroom to the rest of your house, causing a long-term headache that just won’t go away. Add the cost of fixing this onto replacing your tiles and you could be looking at up to £15,000 of repairs.
Possible repair costs:
- Removing and re-tiling a bathroom (£3,000 – £6,000).
- Repairing water damage from a leaking shower (£5,000 – £10,000).
3. Rewiring your home
Now this is one job you should leave to the pros. Wiring your home correctly and safely needs professional-level insight
Electrical mistakes are costly to put right and will likely require significant redecorating work, too. Expect rewiring a single room to require at least two days of an electrician’s labour, with entire homes taking up to two weeks and costing a pretty penny.
If you want to save on this job, try tackling the redecoration yourself after the professionals have been in.
Possible repair costs:
- Rewiring a room (£2,000 – £5,000).
- Full house rewiring (£5,000 – £15,000).
- Fixing electrical fires (fire restoration can cost £10,000+).
2. DIY plumbing disasters
Despite what you might’ve heard on Channel 4 comedy Peep Show, plumbing isn’t just ‘water Lego.’ Homeowners up and down the country have found themselves in an expensive hole after attempting to take on DIY plumbing jobs like installing a bathroom themselves, moving pipework or adjusting their central heating.
Like failed grouting, DIY plumbing disasters usually mean water ends up in places where water isn’t supposed to be. Think leaking, sagging ceilings, damp, mould and more – it’s not worth the hassle.
Possible repair costs:
- Repairing leaks and water damage (£2,000 – £10,000).
- Replacing flooring, plastering, and redecorating (£5,000 – £15,000).
- Severe cases: structural damage and rot (£10,000 – £20,000+).
1. Removing a load-bearing wall
The home improvement shows make it seem so simple. Just knock this wall through and you’ll transform two lifeless rooms into an airy, open-plan kitchen/diner. You might be surprised how many people blindly follow what they’ve seen on-screen without doing the necessary due diligence.
Often, we hear cases of people who’ve knocked down a load-bearing wall to find it plays a key part in supporting their home’s structure. Suddenly, they’re dealing with cracked plaster, sagging ceilings and more. Before you know it, huge amounts of work are required to re-strengthen the house’s structure by reinstalling steel beams.
Don’t even attempt this one.
Possible repair costs:
- Structural engineer assessment (£500 – £1,500).
- Installing a steel beam (£3,000 – £10,000).
- Rebuilding the wall (£2,000 – £5,000).
- Plastering, electrics, and decoration (£1,000 – £3,000).
DIY work is a great way of upgrading your home without breaking the bank – there’s no doubt about that! However, some jobs are just best left to those with the training and experience to carry them out properly.
