What is your biggest D.I.Y. challenge?

[Jason]

Workshop community members are a talented and creative bunch, and generous in sharing their knowledge and experience. Everybody has to start from somewhere, and everybody struggles with some tasks or finds them intimidating. So it's fantastic that Workshop can help connect people and solve their most difficult D.I.Y. problems. 

To make sure we are helping as many Workshop members as possible, I'm keen to hear what are your biggest home improvement challenges. 

What D.I.Y. tasks do you find the most difficult? 

What jobs around the house and garden do you find consume the most time?

What problems do you find are the hardest to fix at your place?

Let us know about your biggest challenges by replying below. Thanks for joining in the discussion.

Jason

[Tara86]

My BIGGEST issue is that DIY brings on my OCD. I spend hours drawing up designs and also measuring/remeasuring over and over......once I finally start I then over analyse the task which wastes more time. I need to avoid Pinterest until I’m finished lol.
Plus with work and 3 kids it is hard to find the time. For some reason my kids will walk past my partner(who’s in the same room with them) to come find me to ask for something to eat ha ha!!
Biggest issue with our house is we’re on a slope, very sandy soil and no easy access to the rear. Every Tradie we’ve had come out is afraid of walking up stairs hence why we built our own decking and now started planning 2 retaining walls.

[artrato3]

Finishing definitely. I want to leave all the little tiresome touch ups, especially those I have done and need redoing because of a thoughtless contractor or the weather like fading bark chips or paint on yard items. I love doing it the first time and seeing the improvement but over and over not so much. Like every time we mow I have to wash the louvres. Birds poo on your newly painted house.

[laurence]

want to lay a slab 13 metres x 16 metres x 300 mm deep any tips, i also want to polish the concrete

[Jason]

Hi @laurence,

Welcome to Workshop.

Can you please tell us a little more? What is the slab for? What's the site like? I'm sure our helpful members will be happy to assist. 

Jason

[TedBear]

My biggest DIY challenge is storing the components safely, in the workshop, where I can still get at them.  In particular, large boards (mdf, etc), because they get in the way before use and can be dangerous if leant on walls etc, especially as there are vibrations and other items being moved.  I tried making a wheeled trolley, which helps a little, but the boards would take up less floor space if stored upwards (but can more easily topple). I am about to try making a storage frame in a corner (ie like a 3 sided cupboard with no top), but I don't know how to make the free-floating (third) side of it secure and strong, without bracing it at the top. I guess I could make the back wider than needed and then brace it on the outside.  An on-going issue for me... trying to find the best board storage idea. Maybe someone here has it? 

[JDE]

My biggest challenge is time management. Everything seems to take double the time I allow. My other challenge is my partner thinks I can do anything (I dont agree) and continually finds new challenges. My fault over the years we /I have managed to renovate a series of houses and even built a house from scratch with only tradies where legally required.

James 

[TedBear]

I can relate to that JDE!  Not only does good work take a longer time than hoped & allowed for but my wife is an expert time-manager (genuinely; she is a nurse.), whereas I am not; I tend to take as long as it takes to get a reasonable result, rather than build it quick and rebuild it in a few months. 

Do you (or others), find that those TV shows that show someone knocking up a big project between ad breaks, create unrealistic expectations for our spouses and partners?  I find myself defensively explaining that maybe I could do the project quicker if I also had a large team of unseen helpers, buyers who have already selected and purchased everything, an enormous budget, a truck full of expensive professional equipment and the power of production editing on my side.

But I take it as a sort-of romantic compliment to be seen as maybe being able to create anything, quickly, out of nothing.  

[IanP]

Hi Roy,

Do you need electrician license to perform home electrical work?

This is my biggest challenge - having the license to perform the house electrical work myself.

Ian

[IanP]

My biggest DIY challenge is having to perform electrical work.

I am told it is required to have electrician's license to perform electrical work even if it is your own home.

I do not have the electrician's license, and it seems quite difficult to get an electrician's license because apprenticeship is required.

Can there be a lower grade electrician's license that is for DIYers and not for contractual work?

[Jason]

Hi @IanP,

Welcome to Workshop. 

Workshop members should always use a licensed electrician for any electrical work. For your safety and the safety of others in your home, please don’t ever undertake electrical work yourself or use a tradesperson who is not licensed. 

We are looking forward to assisting you with projects that you are able to safely complete in your home. Feel free to post anytime you need a hand. 

Jason