There’s nothing like taking on a home improvement project, particularly as we head into summertime with all those lovely Bank Holidays giving us extra time to do our houses up. But you should make sure that you only accept challenges that you know you have the skills and expertise to complete properly – or you could find yourself seriously out of pocket.
New research from Sainsbury’s Bank has just revealed that 14 per cent of us have had to deal with a home improvement mishap in the last three years. Which is a scary thought when you consider that 38 per cent of people said they’d be doing DIY work at home or in the garden over the recent Easter Bank Holiday.
Most Common DIY Disasters
So what are the most common DIY disasters, then? The survey found that flooring being damaged by tools, spilled paint and equipment. Also some damage to internal walls, electrical damage, damage to pipes because of hammering in nails resulting in a flood. Damage to sanitary goods and damage to pipes without further issues for the house were the top problems that people had to deal with.
It’s not that you shouldn’t try to do work at home yourself but do make sure you know what you’re doing. If you’re not convinced that your skills are up to the task, make sure that you bring in professional and experienced tradesmen to help.
And remember that there are some jobs that you absolutely should not ever tackle yourself, unless you have the proper qualifications in place first.
Who can Register your Gas Appliance
For example, if you have a gas appliance you need to ensure that work is only done by a competent Gas Safe Registered engineer if it involves removing the fitting, changing the position of the fitting, and maintaining, servicing, disconnecting, Repairing Boiler, permanently adjusting, altering or renewing the fitting or purging it of gas or air.
And when it comes to electrical work, if it is notifiable to a local building control body (so involving the installation of a new circuit, the replacement of a fuse box or any alteration or addition to existing circuits in special locations), you need to ensure you employ an electrician registered with a government-approved scheme provider.
Benefits of Registered Electricians
By using a registered electrician, you know the work done at home will be safe as it will need to meet UK national standards. You should also receive an Electrical Installation Certificate that confirms the installation work done meets this.
If the work doesn’t meet the standards, you’ll be able to follow a formal complaints procedure and can also take out an insurance-backed guarantee so you’re able to make a claim if needed later down the line.
Should you need any help or advice relating to boiler installations in London, do get in touch with us here at Marvel Plumbing. We’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you might have so give our friendly and experienced team a call today.
