Should I do this job myself or pay someone?
Five tests, applied in order, that answer the question honestly — starting with the two that are not about skill at all.
beginner20 min4 min read
Home & DIY
Practical answers for repairs, cleaning, decorating and the household problems that turn up whether you planned for them or not. Written so you can start with what you already own.
2,154 guides
Should I get a heat pump?
What actually determines whether a heat pump suits a house, why insulation and radiator size decide it, and the questions to ask an installer.
beginner30 min4 min readWhat do I do if a builder walks off halfway through?
Securing the site, recording what exists, ending the contract properly, and getting the job finished — in that order, because the money comes last.
intermediate2 hr5 min readWhat type of wall do I have, and what does it change?
Solid, studwork, dot-and-dab and lath and plaster look identical once painted, and every fixing, repair and improvement decision differs between them. What each build-up is, and what each one changes.
beginner20 min5 min readWhich flooring should I choose for each room?
Match the material to what the room does to it — water, traffic and warmth decide almost everything.
beginner30 min2 min readWhich paint should I use where?
Finish and location decide it — and using the wrong one usually means repainting within a year.
beginner20 min2 min readWhich rooms should I heat and which can I let go cold?
How to heat selectively without creating damp, which rooms genuinely can be left, and the floor you should not go below.
beginner20 min4 min readWhy does my boiler lose pressure?
Bleeding, a leak or a failed expansion vessel — how fast it drops tells you which.
beginner30 min2 min readWhy is my gutter overflowing?
Water coming over the edge has six common causes, and most of them can be identified from the ground while it is actually raining.
beginner30 min3 min readWhy is there a damp smell in my house?
A method for tracing the source rather than covering it — where to look, in what order, and what each finding means.
beginner45 min3 min readHow do I hang a shelf?
How to put up a shelf that stays up — finding what's behind the wall, choosing the right fixing, and getting it level.
beginner1 hr3 min readHow do I stop mould coming back?
The moisture, ventilation and temperature changes that stop mould re-establishing after you have cleaned it off.
beginner1 hr 30 min2 min readDo I need planning permission for a loft conversion?
The planning answer for houses in England is usually permitted development within limits — but the building regulations answer is always yes, and that is the one that catches people.
beginner20 min3 min readHow do I anchor furniture to the wall so it cannot tip?
Anchoring furniture is straightforward, and the two things that decide whether it works are fixing into something structural and keeping the strap tight.
beginner30 min3 min readHow do I block a draught from an unused chimney?
The volume of air an open chimney moves, the removable options, and why sealing it completely is the wrong answer.
beginner30 min4 min readHow do I check for carbon monoxide risk at home?
Every source in a house, the alarm placement that works, and the symptom pattern that should make you leave.
beginner30 min4 min readHow do I choose and brief a tradesperson?
How to find one, what a proper quote contains, and the payment structure that protects both sides.
beginner1 hr2 min readHow do I clean an oven?
How to shift baked-on grease from an oven with minimum effort, including a low-fume bicarbonate method and how to handle racks and the door glass.
beginner2 hr3 min readHow do I dry out a room after a leak?
Getting the water out fast, why the damage happens afterwards rather than on the day, and how to know when it is actually dry.
beginner2 hr4 min readHow do I fix loose stair spindles and a wobbly banister?
Fix the newel posts first and the spindles second. A balustrade is only as rigid as the posts at each end, and tightening spindles on a moving post achieves nothing.
intermediate1 hr 30 min3 min readHow do I get a wood burner or open fire ready for the season?
The sweep, the checks and the fuel — the autumn preparation that decides whether a fire is efficient or dangerous.
beginner1 hr 30 min4 min readHow do I improve my home's insulation?
Insulation measures ranked by payback — what to do first, what to do later, and what is rarely worth it.
intermediate4 hr2 min readHow do I make a home safer for an older relative?
The changes that prevent falls, in order of effect, and how to make them without taking over someone's home.
beginner1 hr 30 min4 min readHow do I plan an escape route from a fire?
Working out the routes before you need them, the second way out people never plan, and practising it so it works at three in the morning.
beginner45 min4 min read
Going deeper: MaterialWorld
Material properties, comparisons and suitability — paints, fillers, sealants, timber, tile, insulation.
MaterialWorld is in development — GuideHQ covers the practical answers in the meantime.