What DIY is really worth DIY’ing

Penny Pinching might do some good in the short term…But check the long-term balance before you commit to DIY.

The basic rule should be to figure out the PCF of your DIY project.

This might sound like a very involved process, but it’s actually straightforward.

PCF stands for Potential for Catastrophic Failure. (We just came up with this term!)

PCF means: If this goes wrong, do you lose a limb? (Or your savings, or your home…You get the idea.)

Let’s sketch a scenario:

You, a normal middle management person working an office job, who has basically no construction experience, take it upon yourself to construct a new garden shed.

Will you be able to do it? Maybe – if you DIWB (Do It With Buddies)

Will it be cost effective? Depends on where you got the raw materials from.

Will it remain upright for more than a week? Depends on who your chosen buddies are. If you happen to know a civil engineer, a carpenter and a construction worker, you might just be successful, as long as the beer waits until the roof has been raised.

As fun as a large-scale DIY home improvement project sounds, there is usually more to it.

We get that you might be champing at the bit to get started, so we’ve come up with a PCF checklist, covering most home improvements:

Plumbing, Kitchen and bathroom general

Pros:

• Saves money,
• If successful, you can spend the rest of your life telling the story about the time you fixed your own faucet/drain/inlet/outlet.
• Feeling of accomplishment and understanding a bit of your own home better.
• Kitchen wastewater is soapy, but not disgusting.

Cons

• Could lead to a massive flood, water damage and ruined appliances.

PCF scale: 2/5, Give it a go!

Plumbing, Toilet

Pros

No pro can outweigh the potential cons of a toilet plumbing disaster.

Cons:

Think about it: Toilet wastewater flooding/clogging or generally just getting into places it shouldn’t be.

PCF scale 5/5, Nope Nopedy Nope!

Painting, Home and furniture

Pros:

• Save Money,
• Have more control.
• Rather enjoyable, could make a cute home video…

Cons:

• Uhm…Paint on everything? Not that bad if you ask us!

PCF scale: 1/5, Paint away!

Painting, Roof/Gutters/Facia

Pros:

• Save money.

Cons:

• Falling to your death and being found with a face full of paint.

PCF scale 4/5 It’s up to you!

Electrical wiring

Just Nope. Other than changing a light bulb if you’ve double checked that the light is off, just don’t risk this! (Unless you are in fact a certified electrician…)

The risk of death, but also house fire and electrocution means this is ALWAYS a “Get A Guy” situation.

PCF scale 5/5, Nope Nopedy Nope!

Gardening, vegetable and general

Pros:

• Good for the spirit
• Sense of accomplishment
• Street cred
• Physical activity

Cons:

• Sunburn
• Abundance of fresh produce
• Dirty hands and feet

PCF scale 0/5 Perfect DIY project for the whole family, as long as you wear a hat and have a plan for all the tomatoes you’ll grow!

Disclaimer

Please consult your housemates, pets, life partners and other interested parties before embarking on any extreme home improvement journeys.

We will not be held liable for any fights and disagreements arising form botched builds, spattered paint, and leaky taps.

May the homemaking odds be ever in your favour!