DIY or Don’t

Author
YNM Real Estate
Date
19 December 2021
Category
News

There are so many DIY shows on TV that it may seem to be easy to attempt some home reno yourself. Before you start though, you may need to consider what is needed vs what you can reasonably do vs what DIY changes will need a professional.

A big no-no will be any job involving water, electricity or gas. Most jobs involving plumbing, electrical or gas are not only dangerous, but are against the law to tackle yourself.

Fire and electrocution risks are the reason that most electrical work can only be done by someone with a valid licence. Check Fair Trading and government websites to check on the rules that apply in your state, to see what you can do and what work requires that you hire a licenced tradesman.

Working with gas has similar risks and constraints to electrical work. Once again, a licenced gas fitter must be used for any work on a gas meter outlet, LPG cylinder valve, pipe work, flues and ducts.

Plumbing jobs need a licenced plumber for work from the water main and sewer main connection points at the property borders, up to and including the pipe-work in your home. You can work on a garden irrigation system, fix a tap and replace a washer, change a shower head, connect appliances, fix your toilet cistern, clear a blocked drain of less than 50mm in diameter and work on stormwater pipes with a diameter of less than 90mm.

Landscaping which involves large scale digging can be problematic unless you know exactly where all of the underground pipes are located – in these cases you should contact professional services for help.

If you own an older home, there may be asbestos in your walls or ceilings. Get a professional in as you do not want to risk releasing any asbestos fibres into the air – this will pose a serious health risk to anyone in your home.

Also be careful of making structural changes to your home. Watching The Block may lead you to believe that removing a wall is a simple matter – but if you remove a supporting wall you just might have a roof cave-in on your hands. Rather get professional advice before you start – and if necessary hire a licenced contractor to do this kind of job.

What you could consider is to hire a professional to address structural components of the job, while you do the finishing – painting and plastering are quite easy DIY jobs and this will save you some money.

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