Five ways to learn home improvement skills
What do you do when something needs fixing in your house? Immediately hire a professional to do it? Call up your Dad to complete the task for you? Or do you just leave it and learn to tolerate it over time? I do all three!
DIY skills are becoming less and less common in young people. Where basic home repair was – apparently – once a fundamental skill, it’s common now for people to hire a tradesperson to do all their repairs. Enlisting professional help for every little problem can add up and put a dent in your finances.
There will be times when a job is beyond you, and you’ll need to call in the big guns. Perhaps when your boiler packs in or you have a serious plumbing issue and need to enlist the help of a drainage services company. But there are times when a simple fix is all that’s needed. And with a little extra knowledge, you could quite easily do the job for free.
There are all kinds of benefits to enhancing your home improvement skills. Not only will you be saving money, but you’ll also be equipping yourself with useful knowledge and becoming more independent as a result.
But where do you go to learn these skills? Here are five ways you can begin obtaining your DIY expertise.
The Internet
No matter what knowledge you want to acquire, you’ll be able to find it online. The Internet is a treasure trove of resources for improving your DIY knowledge. The next time you have some DIY that needs doing, open up YouTube and search for a tutorial. There are thousands of videos out there with step-by-step instructions telling you how to complete any of the common household jobs.
Your local hardware store
If you don’t know your spanner from your screwdriver, a great way to familiarise yourself with tools and equipment is to take a trip to your local DIY store. The staff can instruct you on how to use your kit.
Friends and family
Another place to obtain free advice is to ask any handy friends and family members you might have. Chances are they’ll be more than happy to instruct you in some fundamental skills. Ask to help them out on their next DIY task so you can get some practical experience as well.
Professionals
Next time you have a professional in your house, rather than leaving them to their work, why not ask if you can shadow them? They’ll usually be happy to show you the ropes and will be able to answer any questions you might have. You could also read a contractor blog to get some ideas and inspiration.
Volunteering
Volunteering on a home-building project is a great way to gain first-hand experience while doing your bit for the community. There are plenty of projects open for anyone to get involved with. What better home improvement experience could you ask for?!
*This is a collaborative post.
