Essential DIY Techniques for the First Timer
Start doing your own household repairs and simple renovations without the expense of calling in a professional! If you are frustrated by your own inability to handle a repair, or resentful of having to pay someone to take care of simple home maintenance, then this is the book for you.
Co-authored by founder of The Goodlife Centre, Alison Winfield-Chislett, this practical handbook features easy instructions and is full of expert advice, for all the home DIY basics, from painting and wallpapering to simple plumbing, changing a lock, using power tools, fixing a squeaky board and much more. Beginner’s Guide to DIY will provide first-time homeowners and renters with the basic skills and guidance to get the job done. This ultimate reference guide for the DIY novice offers help for anyone who has a busy working life but still wants to make their home look good – without spending a fortune.
I hope that as a result of reading some of Beginner’s Guide to DIY you will feel able to tackle that first long-awaited DIY job in your home that has taunted you for too long. Even if the task is just tightening up some hinges or hanging a coat hook, that moment of standing back to admire your own handiwork is the payoff. Pleasure receptors in the brain kick in and reward you for all your planning and doing.
Besides the amazement that the house didn’t fall down as a result and the relief of not handing over hard-earned money to someone, there is a special relationship that starts to form with your home itself. That useful shelf you hung, or the room you painted (even with its imperfections) adds a feeling of connection to your surroundings and develops a satisfaction and pride you can’t buy.
Since 2011, many more tools are now cordless and affordable. No more tripping over cables of circular saws, sanders, and drills. Designs are easier for smaller hands to use, with intuitive controls so you won’t be trying to find the manual before you begin.
Cordless power tools have become even more empowered. The batteries have upgraded from containing heavy nickel cadmium batteries that took hours to charge and have been superseded with smaller, lighter, super-fast charging lithium-ion ones that keep their charge even when they aren’t being used so you have no excuse to put off that emergency job.
Let’s get going!
Alison Winfield-Chislett
Founder of The Goodlife Centre and Co-author of Beginners Guide to DIY.
