subject: Preparation Is The Key With Diy [print this page] DIY is one of those things that became very popular in the 80's, with hardware stores springing up all over the place and people taking on some very big projects in their own homes. The hardware stores are still doing reasonably well, but this has been due largely to their ability to adapt and sell more ready-made products recently. The fascination with DIY somewhat dwindled in the late 90's and onwards, due to the increase in disposable income and people choosing to hire professionals to do maintenance and improvements on their homes. However, given the current financial climate there has once again been a surge of people choosing to tackle the jobs themselves. If you are one such person, you might want to take note of these important preparation tips that will save you a great deal of grief and allow you to become a competent handyman (or woman).
Materials. Possibly the most important thing to get shorted before you start any job is get the right materials. Most hardware stores will be able to help advise what things you need for specific jobs, but you can also find plenty of 'how-to' guides online that will point you in the right direction. With DIY it is always a good idea to buy good quality materials rather than try to save some pennies. The best materials are likely to be more durable and more forgiving of mistakes. Make sure you have everything you need and in the correct quantities before you even lift a hammer.
Tools. Speaking of hammers, the second most important thing you need to get sorted are your work tools. These have been crafted over hundreds of years to do quite specific jobs, so trying to use a tool for something that it wasn't built for is unlikely to go well. In layman's terms, use a hammer to hammer nails and a screwdriver for screws. If you don't know which tool is best for a job, just ask again at a hardware store or read the blurb from manufactures about what each of their tools are suitable for.
Contingency. As sure as eggs is eggs, at some point during your DIY adventures, something will go wrong. It might be that you superglue your curtains shut or just drive a nail into your main water pipe. Either way, if you haven't thought about possible eventualities and planned out contingencies, you will be stuffed. Obviously you can't plan for every tiny possible occurrence, but you can be sensible. If you're working with powerful glue, make sure you also have some anti-adhesive. If you are trying some plumbing work, make sure you have the number of a professional to hand, just in case. And if you are using power tools, please read the manual first and wear protection.
