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

I thought thats what husbands are for!!

I'm not sure if this really counts, but when my ex cleared off with the creature who shall ever be know as 'the Witch', I trashed the marital bed (all pine), an threw it out of the bedroom window. All I used was a Junior Hachsaw!! It was incredibly therapeutic.

I broke in my large garden which was overrun with brambles and had the remains of an old greenhouse where a tribe of frogs lived under the heap of metal struts, I managed to conserve the frogs's damp place under a mound of ivy.

DH and I have gutted and rebuilt 3houses,back to the brick and roof rafters. Only using a few professionals such as plasterers or where legally obliged to.
My most extreme, scarey job was three flights up the scaffolding painting the ornate roof pediment on a Victorian house. It took 4 days and it didn’t get better with time!

I am not into DIY at all but some years ago when DH was working in USA I dug a pond in the garden ( a big one!!). Then I lined it, planted marginals & learnt how to mix concrete ( I asked the window cleaner), laid crazy paving all round it & had it finished bar the electrics by the time he got home. Luckily DS in an electrician so he did that bit. I wouldn't mess with electrics.
The worst bit was lugging all the paving from front of house where builder's merchant had left it to middle of back garden. I had a sore back for days.
I doubt I could do it now but I was a feisty capable woman in those days & was NOT going to wait for any man to help me. It is still a beautiful pond & I am still proud I managed it. DH is still in shock I think.

I’m in awe! I hate DIY. I can wallpaper, paint etc and have my own set of basic tools. I’ve also been roped in to help in numerous DIY/building projects.
My eldest daughter is like you Bikergran. She’s tiling my bathroom tomorrow hopefully.
I’m hiding this post from my DH!

My mother did all the wallpapering and painting in my parents’ house but sadly I haven’t inherited her skill in that department. I once painted a small bedroom but even I had to admit it was pretty awful.

I can wire plugs, although that never seems to be necessary these days, mainly I’m the labourer. ?

I once repaired a burst pipe by cutting out the affected section and fitting a replacement. (It worked quite well and didn’t leak.) Not sure how I did it now, but I’d fallen out with my (then) boyfriend, and there was NO WAY I was going to ask him!

I wouldn't know where to start. I did try wallpaper hanging once - never again, and sometimes do a bit of painting which seldom comes up to the required standard! Fortunately DH is a keen DIY er.

I'm with teetime on this one, get a man in . Respect to bikergran though

I do all the painting and decorating. With DH I fitted out a van as a campervan. I've laid paving and pebble paths. You name it and I'll have go. I did a short women only
plumbing course and had great fun using a blow torch. The tutor said he loved teaching women because we not only listened but didn't think one lesson meant that we were qualified to install anything from a bathroom to drains. He said that men were always showing off whilst we helped each other.

I wish I could do a mechanics course so I could work on our van's engine but they don't do them around here.

One of my favourite shops is BandQ. I'd much rather wander around there than clothes shops.

Since we're on the topic of DIY, I thought I'd share today's exciting event with you all. I hung my first washing of the season outdoors this morning. Hallelujah. I don't know if it's a 'drying wind' as my Mother would have called but there's a breeze and watery sunshine so - hey ho - and I'm seriously chuffed. I'm laughing thinking what my teenage self would have thought of such excitement. Oh dear!

Well done 'bikergran'. I have not done anything as interesting as you, but I did tile the splashbacks in the kitchen, and also fitted the new worktops, when I did a makeover. But the most daring thing I did was move a wall socket. I had it checked by an electrician at a later date and he said I'd done a grand job!

Biker gran... you’re my soulmate.... stuff dressmaking and knitting and cooking... give me a dirty job and it’ll get done. Yesterday while I was out taking and picking up grandkids from schools...my husband rang his friend to ask him to put his new exercise bike together ...I’d already told him I would do it,but he didn’t want to wait. All our friends know my husbands useless at anything mechanical ...so when the job was finished ... the friend handed the spanner(supplied) to my hubby and said he should put it in his toolbox as it might come in handy!!! My husband stared long and hard at his friend and said “ you mean the wife’s toolbox” ...they both burst out laughing . My hubby wouldn’t know a screwdriver from a hammer!!! Lol

I just looooooove being let loose with a chainsaw and a JCB!

Ooh! I remembered when I was out, I mended the cistern in our downstairs loo with an elastic band! It still works. Does that count?

Do you live near me Bikergran. I could really do with an odd job woman!

Meant to mention pamdixon and say I would probably have done the very same.

bikergran, you have my respect and envy. Thought I was doing well decorating this house from top to bottom (has taken me 18 months) but nothing too technical was involved. I'm a little bit guilty of not liking dirty hands - but I do garden avidly - and the body likes lots of rest periods these days. Well done you but, I'll pass, thanks.

Forty odd years ago we built our own house. Well, FIL built it and DH, MIL and I were the labourers. I've shifted at least 32,000 bricks and 16 tons of roof tiles, all by hand. Dug drainage soakaways, helped erect the roof trusses, done some bricklaying, helped with tiling the roof, balanced on the most precarious scaffolding you've ever seen, laid floorboards, mixed cement and done general decorating and painting. I was also chief tea maker.
I can't wallpaper to save my life though!

I once plumbed in a washing machine - and then didn't dare use it till I had called out a plumber to make check I had done everything correctly (which I had!).Never tried that again.......................

Can you come and help me with a dripping tap? I know what to do, I just haven't the muscle to undo the flaming thing!

Bikergran, what a woman, wow. I used to love doing bits of DIY, as DH is not at all a handyman. My Dad was great and I learned a lot from watching him, but nothing in your league. R-e_s-p-e-c-t.

Good for,you bikergran. I grew up in a DIY house and so learned to do basic decorating and car maintenance, was taught how to fix things. Now I do much less, often involved in preparation and painting, help with things like shed erection, but that’s about it. I guess I could do more but I’m happier out in the garden tackling everything other than the digging there.

My h has all his tools in the garage, he is going to give them to our nephew, only keeping the saw and his electric drill.
Downing tools now.