DIY is a major facet of today’s homeownership lifestyle. The trend of people exchanging the often costly practice of hiring builders and other similarly qualified professionals to do manual construction and fixing work within their own property, for the money saving method of simply doing it yourself boomed in the 1960’s and 70’s. This popular cultural outlook gave rise to an enormous amount of educational material in the form of books and magazines, enabling more homeowners to work on their own properties.

A survey by Halifax claims that Britain's enthusiasm for DIY is set to continue as mortgage holders seek to make their properties more valuable. It says that a quarter of homeowners that performed DIY in the last year, did so to add value to their homes, and over half of those that did so believe that their work could add up to £5,000 to their properties.
Other sources suggest that there is in fact a decrease in people undertaking DIY which, as a consequence, has led to a large reduction in sales from DIY retailers. A May 2007 article in Marketing Week suggests that the changes are too big to be dismissed as a statistical anomaly. It goes on to say “There is a fundamental shift in attitudes taking place, a result of an ageing population and the feelings of security, even complacency, which have come with the UK's 15-year consumer boom.
“We've known that the UK population has been ageing for the past 30 years, but the baby boom has been a great driver of DIY growth. As that peak in the birth profile has aged it has distorted demand at every stage. Over the past decade the baby-boomers were in their 50s - the prime age to do DIY. But the baby-boomers were 60 last year and are now less physically able to do DIY and are losing interest in it anyway. On the whole "third-agers" prefer to take holidays.”
The article continues to mention that the problem doesn’t lie just with the ageing population, but also with the 25-34 year old age group. The problem, it seems, is that as house prices rise, less potential first time buyers can afford to buy a property. However those who do are often unable to afford the costs of renovating.
As we pass the halfway point in 2009, with the current economic climate having changed somewhat since the article in Marketing Week, perhaps a change of events is occurring right now.
Other developments in the trends of DIY from its beginnings suggest that more women engage in renovation work within their home than before, although this information is only drawn from recent small polls. Traditionally DIY appeared to be for the ‘man of the house’ with a masculine stigma attached, though this seems to have changed in recent years.
A recent poll on DIY advice website lets-do-diy.com shows an interesting conclusion to the question, ‘who is better at DIY, men or women?’
“Everyone at lets-do-diy.com is surprised by the strength of feeling expressed in the forum,” says Mr Burry, the websites editor. “Both sides of the debate have put their case with amusing anecdotes and scathing attacks on the DIY capabilities of the opposite sex.”

He continues: “On a serious note, the poll clearly suggests that today many more women are undertaking home improvement projects and consequently DIY is no longer the predominantly male activity it once was.”
To date over eight hundred people have voted in the poll with the division of opinion currently standing at 54% to 46% in favour of men being more proficient at DIY.

For more information visit lets-do-diy.com for videos .

Different radiators

There are a variety of electrical and alternative features for your bathroom, many of which serve practical as well as attractive purposes. Here we look at two types of radiator that you may wish to install; the heated towel rail and the electric radiator. Radiators are generally rated in terms of core dimension and the number of rows of tubes used. Larger cores and more tubes mean a greater capacity. The most common material used for radiator manufacturing is traditionally a combination of brass and copper, but modern units are often aluminium.

Before choosing your radiator, you must determine how much heat the bathroom requires. This is done by using the radiator manufacturer’s heat loss calculations (your radiator installer can do this when quoting). The most accurate calculations take room measurements, including the window and outside wall sizes. They calculate the temperature required and apply this to determine the radiator size. Too big and the system will exceed its temperature requirement and be uneconomical to run, too small and it won't reach its desired temperature.

Heated towel rails are an alternative to common radiators as they provide a rail for hanging towels, act as radiators and possess a popular, modern style. There are many different designs and styles of heated towel rail but the most popular are the ladder type, which are usually available in a white or chrome finish. Choosing the right model needs some consideration.

Heated towel rails are designed to be plumbed in to your central heating system in the same way as a radiator, but there are two other installation options.

Dual Fuel Option - the towel rail can be installed with an electrical heating element that fits inside one of the vertical rails. Special radiator valves are used which enable the radiator to be isolated from the heating system and warmed using the electric element. This is very useful in summer months when your heating may be off.

Oil Filled Option - with this option the towel rail is not connected to your heating system, and is heated by electricity alone. The towel rail is factory fitted with a heating element and filled with special oil, ready for connection to your electricity supply.


All radiators have different heat outputs depending on the size and design. Make sure that you are replacing a radiator with a heated towel rail of similar output; otherwise you might notice a drop in temperature in the bathroom.

Electric radiators are an option if you do not wish to install a standard, centrally heated type. Conventional radiators need to be attached to the existing system, and this may be a hassle that electric radiators avoid. Many new electric models claim to save energy in the long term; this becoming a popular feature for money and energy saving people. They also possess a timer which can be set to turn on or off at particular times to suit the user. Although electric radiators are generally more bulky than their counterparts, there are an increasing number to choose from, allowing the buyer a wide selection choice.

The benefits of a low-flow toilet

When considering installing a new toilet, there are a few things to contemplate. Firstly it is important that the toilet meets the recommended flushing limit. In the 1960’s, toilets were larger than the ones we use today and used around 32 litres of water every time someone flushed them. Today, low-flow toilets are pretty much standard. These basic, yet effective toilets are focused on conserving water and only use around 7.2 litres of water per flush making them the customary option on the market today.

One of the most obvious benefits of low-flow toilets is the fact that they conserve water. The average person flushes the toilet six times each day. Low-flow toilets use approximately 172 litres less water per day than other toilets. This creates massive water conservation. Using less water is also beneficial to consumers as it saves money. Due to the fact that low-flow toilets use a smaller amount of water than other toilets, their tanks don't need to be as large. This makes the toilet smaller, and thus generally more attractive.

The environmental and economical benefits are a big plus; however it must be considered that toilets have been reduced in size and thus struggle to remove as much waste as older toilets.

If the benefits of a low-flow toilet outweigh the drawbacks to the consumer, then they are a perfectly worthwhile purchase. Almost all new toilets are low-flow varieties anyway. The money you spend to purchase the toilet can be regained in a few years by the amount of money you save using less water.

Another option for a suitable toilet is the dual flush design. This refers to the two buttons that are used to operate the toilet. Pressing one button will flush the toilet with about 3 litres of water and is generally referred to as a short flush. Pressing the other button will release about 6 to7 litres of water and is called a long flush.

Despite the use of the words "short" and "long," the long flush of a dual flush toilet generally uses less than half of the water that is needed in a normal toilet, which by and large uses around 20 litres of water per flush. The dual flush can decrease the amount of water used by up to 60 percent when compared to a traditional flush toilet, and these savings are reflected in the water bill, making them a popular addition in money saving households and businesses.

While a dual flush toilet is more expensive than a traditional flush toilet, the savings gained from reduced water usage make it cost effective over the long term. What's more, you will be playing your part in saving resources.

If you have decided and are ready to purchase a low-flow or dual flush toilet, make certain to do your homework and compare brands and types. Some do a better job of disposing of waste than others, and research by experts can inform you of toilets that are good quality and best buys.







More tips and advice for replacing a toilet, replacing a bath or replacing and descaling a shower head can be found at lets-do-diy.com


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Tips and advice when tiling

Tiling is a good skill to learn, and when done well, the job should not ordinarily have to be repeated or repaired. When deciding to tile a room you must consider the tiles purpose in its environment. Ceramic tiles can be applied to many different surfaces but each may require a different preparation. Bare plaster is the ideal surface on which to apply ceramic tiles, but ensure the plaster is sound.

Newly plastered walls should always be treated with a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) sealant solution - five parts water to one part PVA. This will seal the surface and promote adhesion.

To determine the number of tiles you will need, calculate the surface area of the wall by multiplying the length of the wall by its height (or by the height you wish to tile up to). This should be done for each surface you are planning to tile; then the figures for each surface should be added together. Always add at least 10% to your final figure to allow for wastage and cutting, and then divide the total surface area by the area of one tile.

Tiling adhesive is available as a dry powder that you mix with water or in ready-mix tubs, which can be used as both adhesive and grouting. Remember that some surfaces may require a particular adhesive e.g. shower cubicles, so ask at your local DIY store if you are not sure.

Remember not to lay the adhesive more than 4mm thick. Apply the adhesive evenly over the surface, but avoid covering too large an area as it may dry before you fit the tiles.

Finally, when grouting, make sure the adhesive has been given enough time to go hard (ideally 12 hours). Also check that there is nothing protruding above the surface of the tile that will get in the way of the grout. Finish off by using a grout shaper to create a smooth finish.

More tips and advice for fixing ceramic wall tiles, fixing mosaic tiles to a wall or replacing a damaged tile can be found at lets-do-diy.com

An easy way to saving energy and water

With increasing pressure to save energy and water, homeowners can sometimes sacrifice the use of a bath, for the more stringent shower. When deciding whether to install a bath or a shower you may want to consider which of the two saves more water. Taking a shower instead of a bath is a commonly known money/energy saving tip. To save water through shower usage depends on the time you spend in the shower and how quickly the shower head dispenses water. A typical bathtub requires about 30 gallons for a bath. A standard shower head will flow about 3 gallons per minute. In five minutes, this uses only 15 gallons of water.

Using a low-flow shower head can cut the total water usage to less than ten gallons saving thousands of gallons of water per year. Depending on your showerhead and whether it has a flow restrictor in it and how long you shower, the answer could oscillate either towards shower or bath.

There are two types of low-flow shower heads: aerating and non-aerating.

Aerating - mixes air into the water stream. This maintains steady pressure so the flow has an even, full shower spray. Because air is mixed in with the water, the water temperature can cool down a bit towards the floor of the shower. Aerating shower heads are the most popular type of low-flow shower head.

Non-aerating - air is not mixed into the water stream. This maintains temperature well and delivers a strong spray. The water flow pulses with non-aerating shower heads, giving more of a massaging showerhead effect.

More tips and advice for fitting a bathroom sink, installing a shower or wiring an electric shower can be found at lets-do-diy.com

Product review

If you want to see some DIY product reviews visit lets-do-diy.com. They review the latest products on the market.

Some of the reviews so far include video reviews of The Bricky and the Bosch Uneo.

DIY competitions

There are some great DIY competitions around at the moment, where you can win anything from £25 cash to a power tool.

Just take a look at these DIY competitions:
DIY competition win a Torinio
DIY competition win an Autowrench