D.I.Y from a female view...what is the most extreme you have tackled.

GannyRowe that’s the funniest thing I have read in ages ?!

What a woman my none DIY husband would divorce and marry you in a flash, lol as it would save him no end of money. Before I was ill I loved to have a go at things and really think I should have been a male as alot off feminine pursuits don't really interest me. Hope your current project is a success.x

GannyRowe

Hope they weren't in it GrannyRowe

Black and Decker plus drill bits and plugs was a very useful Christmas present many years ago. DH is not a bit practical so I do all the decorating here, minor electrical repairs, put up shelves, try to fix anything that's not working, do the garden etc. Also cannot resist skips, I've had some really useful stuff from skips. Outside is my builder's yard: sheets of glass, bricks, bits and pieces that might be useful. But nothing like Bikergran. Hat's off to you. You're amazing.

Bikergran my daughter was a serious DIY-er from very small when she "adapted" the device that she had to wear to stop her from thumbsucking (her thumb was green around the nail from constantly being wet, I thought it would rot) with her dad's pliers. When the adaptation wasn't satisfactory, she whacked it with a hammer ... (what were we thinking, it was like an instrument of torture, a plate to stop her making skin contact between thumb and the roof of her mouth, with wires). She must have been about 5 or 6.

She still does tons of DIY mostly upcycling furniture. She is also a potter and general craftswoman, master crocheter and knitter etc! I often wonder who she is channelling ...

I wouldn't have a clue. I was taught to knit, sew and cook, but not how to do DIY. My husband just seems to be able to turn his hand to anything, but our son hasn't any practical skills. I think it's down to what way your brain is wired.

When I bought my house 10 years ago it needed totally gutting and , to save on costs, I was the labourer. I've chipped plaster off all the walls; scraped lime paint off woodwork and woodworm treated it before repainting; stood up the chimney to scrape out decades of loose stonework and soot ready for a new chimney liner to be fitted; bashed down partition walls; hammered off bathroom tiles that had been on for decades; ripped out a bath, sink and toilet ready for remastering and refit; ripped out and dismantled an old kitchen; built flat pack kitchen cupboards and drawers; crawled in the loft space (along beams) to drag out the old insulation and ripped cardboard off a wall in a bedroom to reveal an original cast iron fireplace which I then restored. Then I decorated the house myself and have done it every couple of years since.
Think this was more demolition work than constructive!

Hardboard not cardboard

Ohh I am in awwwwwww reading all your little stories! sometimes I think that D.I.Y is still seen as a "mans domain" I love it when you hear of a female that has done brilliant things and yes that is what it is.."girl power" lol

I think we have more patience and like to do a "proper job"

Last year (and you are all capable of doing this)! one of my radiators wasn't working..I thought right!! Mr Google lets see what you have to say..so just typed in radiator not getting hot when thermostat turned.

It turned out that the little pin inside was sticking,,,so had a bit of a read and went down to screwfix for a new radiator control (you know the little chubby thing with numbers on) undid the old one fit the new one and Bingo!! perfect! cost? around £7-00 no man needed no plumber with call out charge charging me extortionate rates! I have since changed 3 more took 5 mins!

I think the worst job I did was erecting one of those metal sheds (must have been 100s of little tiny nuts n bolts) and I did!! require another pair of hands at one stage (got my friend with her painted posh nails to hold the bolts whilst I screwed the nuts on lol)
Gosh I would love to write a book about all us gals that have done d.i.y projects...I think the men folk would be impressed I would loved! to have a had a trade like the men used to have...possibly plumbing as I have changed taps and put new worktops on at daughters.

The reason why we/I started d.i.y was that we / just couldn't afford to get the tradesmen in.
My late dh was an old school painter and decorator.
Also I love!! flat packs..I would love to come and help you out with all your little jobs I am in my element ...I have requested a few times one of those tool pouches (you know like a belt you wear and you put your tools in the slots) but alas looks like I'm going to have to buy my own lol...

Keep up the good work gals! love it lol..

I do know what a mouse is too.
Not the live version
Not the one next to the computer

The one used when rewiring a house!

Oooh, do tell! what does this mouse do?

My favourite power tool Jalima! I sanded down 8 internal doors and burnt the motor out of the first cheapo one but my current model is ace! I'm waiting for Spring dry weather so I can sand down the teak garden bench before Danish oiling it again. casts eye looking for more wood to sandown

As far as I remember (it was a very long time ago) it was attached to the wiring so that you could strip out the old wiring and pull through the new wiring. A mouse - can get through little spaces.
I just remember shouts of 'Can you see the mouse yet'?

A mouse is also a mouse shaped power tool as Chewbacca says, used for sanding. I think DH has one but I've never used it.

My favourite tool is my mole grips. They're excellent for when a strong hand is needed and you aren't strong. Also heavy enough to give something a good bash as well.

Funnily enough, 30 mins ago, hob extractor fan in kitchen has just crashed down. Was put there by the diy ‘wizard’ (bodgit man) ex-husband. Omg. I am clueless All I’ve managed is to put bit of cardboard over hole in wall as it’s cold. Can you bike over here please, bikersgran?!

Why DIY when you can pay someone else to do it..this is as extreme as I get with DIY. However I once had to repaint my hallway myself as it was done very badly by the person I hired. I went after him and got my money back to his dismay!

Bikergran could start her own business.. plenty of people would be interested. Me, for one!

Why DIY when you can pay someone else to do it
let me think

could it be that money is an issue?
just a thought.

Actually, in our case it is probably because DH is better than some tradesmen.

Willgirl reason why we/I did/do it oursleves is....we/I couldnt not afford the extortionate rates professionals charge.... if it was anything like gas/electric 0therthan changing light switches/putting new plugholes /pendants etc then I would get the proffs in . Not only that I enjoy d.iy. self satisfaction when someone says with mouth open "Did you!! really! do that! (normally a male) lol

!WELL DONE" all you D.I.Y ers....I am proud of you all you are all amazing...big jobs little jobs, you have done it! brilliant keep it up (thumbs up )

I am proudest of papering a bedroom ceiling on my own and painting the stairwell or a very tall house with just two stepladders. I looked down at a 30’ drop. Last week I made shelves for a cabinet which held shoes in boxes and now see them neatly and visibly stored.

My ex did all DIY with such an ill grace that I took over within a couple of years of marriage and found that I loved it thiugh I wouldn’t attempt anything much electrical and stay away from most plumbing jobs too.

When I was 75 I replaced all the fencing on ‘our side’ of our 70’ garden and while fence panels regularly blow down on the side of the garden I am not responsible for, mine have stayed put. I had to cut four of the panels to fit as well. I’m busy now making raised beds for my vegetables. The sense of satisfaction is what keeps me at it.

It is so good to read that there are others out there who are happy to try their hands at the more extreme end of DIY. Most of the people I know, whilst always saying they are awestruck, do look as if they think I'm a bit of an oddball. Mind you, perhaps that's nothing to do with the DIY.

I have said though, if I come back in another life I am going to pretend I can't even wire a plug because there is now a certain expectation from DH who objects to hiring anyone to do the jobs round the house as 'we' can do it. For 'we' read 'me'!

Why do we do DIY? Quite simply, because DH is an engineer through and through who loves fiddling with things. He did his first DIY project when he was 14. his mother was out for the day and he demolished and removed a big brick encased copper she hated from the kitchen.

Almost every house we have owned has been a project and the reason we have the two really nice houses now is because of his vision and skill. I lack all his skills but I have lots of energy and a gung ho attitude to life and am willing to try almost anything.

DIY isn't just a question of money but lack of money or stretching how far it will go is a good driver.

DH and I are a great DIY team, from doing up his MGA car in 1971 to overseeing several home improvements and extensions over the years. I remember one episode, when we were fitting out our first kitchen. I was 9 months pregnant and the hot water pipe to the sink went out of control and DH threw himself onto the gushing pipe. I had to climb up into the loft to turn the water off - I could barely get through the hatch! I always used to say 'a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle' and was fiercely independent. I decided one day to put up a shelf in a chimney recess. I used a hacksaw, which broke half way through and I ended up holding a 6" piece of blade in a tea towel, determined to finish the job. Was my hand sore! Another time, I decided to remove the wall between the WC and bathroom to give us more space. DD was a baby and slept all through the banging, bless her!

Unfortunately, these days I don't have the strength or stamina to do more than be a gopher for DH but we do still enjoy our projects!

I forgot to say, we felt sorry for the people who bought out first house, it was where we made all our DIY mistakes!