14th August 2015

It is well into summer and for many people this means you might find you’ve run out of excuses to avoid those home improvements; you know the jobs you have been promising to do but have been putting off all year...

Yes, while many lucky people are sunning themselves abroad, you could be confronted with a door to repair, a fence to varnish or some shelves to shakily hold just one or two books in the hope that a small load will at least be kept up in the air. But never fear, we have five excellent reasons to keep the DIY blues at bay! 

1.    Don’t get tied up fixing shelves, catch up on a TV series or film you’ve been meaning to see instead!

Bear with us on this one – it may be summer and yes, it would be nice to go outside and enjoy the long warm days while the sun is shining... But this is Great Britain folks; who knows when that sun is going to shine? We say avoid disappointment by leaving nothing to chance, play by your own rules and if you want to watch a Breaking Bad marathon with the curtains drawn or see what the Game of Thrones hype is all about – go for it! Besides if you can draw the curtains; it means that they are up aren’t they? What more do you want?

2.    Don’t waste your time building some new furniture; why not read a book?

Watching TV, even catching up with the most popular box-sets or Netflix series is not for everyone, we know that! But instead of waiting for something you fancy to come out on the television, or worse than that don’t find yourself committed to building a TV cabinet...Why not exercise your muscles and read a book instead? 

New research has shown that just like muscles in your body (those you may stretch and injure doing DIY) your brain becomes stronger and more powerful the more you use it, so protect and improve your wit by reading some great lit! That’s literature by the way, far more entertaining than an assembly manual for the case for your books or TV to sit in. Besides if you go and invest in an ebook you won’t need to build a bookcase after all, it’s a win/win all around.

3.    Forget the wallpapering, have some joined up family fun...

Okay, put paper and paste and all electronic equipment down everybody, log off and tune into some retro fun. Spending time with family or friends may not be the most summer-reliant of past times but why not enjoy a board game night or throw a dinner party or BBQ? Challenge yourself to take a step back from working on the bricks, mortar, paper, varnish and paint and remember the people you are doing all the DIY for and don’t do it. Spend some quality time with them instead. 

4.    Put down that hammer! You are not a professional, accept this with pride...

Chances are unless you are a builder or a professional home improvements expert, you won’t save money if you DIY, you won’t save time and you may find that you do not have enough patience either. But on top of everything else, the chances are that you won’t even like the result when you have taken the time to try and improve your home all by yourself and you’ll only have yourself to blame! Save yourself some time and heartache and employ a professional. It’s good for the economy and it’s good for you, you can relax in the reassurance that the job will be a good one and most importantly you didn’t mess it up!    

5.    It’s a question of taste...So you and your partner completely agree on all home improvements? Of course you don’t!

A home improvement expert learns how to negotiate and reach the best solution for everyone under your roof and if you are not happy then you can take it up with them. Save yourself a row and let the professional take the flak, after all, that is part of what they are paid to do...

All in all, even those of you who love doing jobs around the house need a few excuses to pass the buck and allow someone else to do home improvement tasks. So, while the days are long why not have a little fun and relaxation? Let us know how you will be unwinding and what excuses you can think of to avoid DIY this summer, and if you can’t resist? Why not share the projects you’ve been determined to work on throughout the home? Have a great summer!