DIY

[Babnik]

This is going to be rather an abstract question, but I'm sure someone must have gone through the same kind of delimma. How much can you actually do yourself when renovating? I know this depends on what experience you have, but I'm not a builder, and while I've done most minor DIY stuff, I've never built a wall or done anything with concrete.

Apart from the savings, it's the whole back to basics lifestyle which I want to embrace. Sure I can get artisans and say do this and do that, but even though I'm sure it's more difficult to do yourself, , it's got to be more satisfying!

I'm thinking on the lines of : laying of floors/plumbing/laying of underfloor heating/replacing windows/installing skylights/tiling etc etc. I would leave anything to do with structure(outside walls)/roofing and electrical installation to the experts.

anyone been there...done it?

Steve

[Alexis]

Go for it.  It is amazing what you can do.  We left the new windows to the pro's though.  The windows seem to slope in four different directions at once!  Very old house. 

It will just take you longer than the artisans.  Oh, the pride thought!  I think you will find that most of us have done it ourselves on the site.  Still doing it in fact!

[David584]

Quote Alexis "The windows seem to slope in four different directions at once!"

I would have loved to have seen that!!!

 

[Mpprh]

Hi

I've learned sometimes you do the same things twice. Sometimes exactly the same things !

The second time is always a better job and much quicker !

Peter

[Pierre le Derriere]

I reckon anyone who is reasonably intelligent can do plumbing, electrics, plastering, decorating, carpentry and so on.  It will take you twice as long as the professional but you will probably do it twice as well as you have an interest in the finished product being up to standard.  Obviously some things take experience, such as smoothing plaster on a verticla wall or ceiling, but the answer is to use an alternative product designed for ease of use by the amateur.  Whatever you attempt, you sink to the depths of despair when it all goes horribly wrong but have great satisfaction when you finally sort it all out.

There is lots of help out there, this forum for a start.  The internet can tell you how to do most things.  Try         

www.aidaubricolage.com   

its a French site with lots of tips on DIY;  but click on the translate - english button and you will get it all in English. 

[Jackie]

I think the question you have to ask yourself is what is the worst that can happen if I get it wrong. For stuff like laying floor screeds and non-structural concrete work there are tutorials available on the net. If you want to start knocking holes in walls for new doors etc then I should be very wary of doing this without professional advice. Lots of tips on this site and others like Total France. Plumbing is not difficult but you need to be able to make good soldered joints and use a gas blowtorch safely or better still learn to braze. Lots of DIY booklets in the Brico stores or B&Q in the UK. Wiring is another matter and you need to get this right first time and it must be to French standards. On balance I would agree with the previous poster but do lots of research before starting work and get a good personal insurance policy or at least a strong safety line! It is a long way down from the roof........Good luck......John in Dept 79

[Babnik]

Great that's reassured me a lot! Yeah I guessed things are going to take longer. Does anybody have any tips for good books? (especially for the bigger jobs!)

Steve

[Anton Redman]

In English - Mark Brinkley 'The Housebuilder's Bible' Rodella Press ISBN 0 9524852 4 9 is a good introduction to crossing the great devide between DIY and full scale renovation of building.

In French 'Construire ou Renouve Votre Maison' ( sorry spelling phonetic my copy is in a a packing case in a barn. Forum or web search will pull up the correct version. It is available from the big DIY sheds like Leroy Merlin and Castorama

Agree totally on time versus professionals. Price of tools has fallen to the point when routers, belt sanders, HDS drills, chop saws which I worried about the cost of now have payback in days not months of use.

Best of luck

[zeb]

As Anton says, there are good French renovating books available in all the DIY sheds and also in the large supermarkets. Ours is packed away at the moment but I think it's called "Tout Faire Savoir" published by Marillion. Although the instructions are in French it is full of step by step photos. You could buy the David Hampshire book as a basic guide but we didn't find it very useful for our large reno project.

We made the mistake of getting builders in to do early work - digging out and laying concrete floor in barn, building block wall to separate one barn from sitting room barn (!), making botched job of reroofing part etc - and it all took forever as they had other jobs on the go. In the end, hubby did the majority himself but got a general builder in to help with the big, heavy, downright dangerous work! At times very daunting but we are getting there and every new room or large installation which is completed means a huge champagne celebration!!

regards....helen

PS...We also had French plumber for bathroom and central heating installations and French electrician for the total rewire - money very well spent.

[JohnM]

I put off tiling at home for years and years... once they are up, the only way to sort out errors is to take them all off and start again - it filled me with such fear. About 3 weeks ago I bit the bullet and it was so much easier than I feared, hey it's not perfect but (to quote my Grandmother) "A bind man would be pleased to see it!!" 

I think I'll leave a nw roof to the professionals purely because of the time constraints, but I'm trying everything else.

Go for it and all the best.

 

[Peter72]

If you have the time and patience you can teach yourself to do most building jobs at least as well as the "average" pro. You will occasionally see a "craftsman" who has a real talent for the job but that is probably because he has been practising for many years and has learnt from his mistakes, some don't. Do some research before you start and never skimp on tools and materials, even buy the best french electrical fittings they are worth it.

The advantage of doing the job yourself to a professional standard, the term DIY should be reserved for the bodgers who can't do anything right, is that you get to keep all the tools (or boys toys as my wife calls them), your wife will not complain that the radiator pipe is slightly off level or the stairs are at the wrong angle because she will have watched you like a hawk to make sure you don't go wrong, and you will have immense pleasure in looking at your work, and checking that the pipe is not 2mm out of level after all.

Also beware the local instant experts who can "guess" how to do anything for next to nothing.

Regards

Peter