AI tools for DIY planning, any actually useful or is it all generic safety warnings

[Isla]

Q: Can AI help with actual DIY project planning or does it just tell you to consult a professional every thirty seconds?

A: Mixed but better than expected. The generic safety warning tendency is real and annoying but can be worked around by being specific. Asking Claude to help plan cable routing in a wall gets generic warnings. Asking it to explain the UK Part P regulations for notifiable electrical work in a kitchen and when you need a certificate gets something useful. Specificity changes the answer completely.

Where it has genuinely helped me: working out load calculations for timber spans using standard tables, understanding building regulation requirements before starting any project, generating materials lists from dimensions, and talking through joinery options for a specific application

[Hannah56]

The load calculation assistance is the one I use most. I describe the span, load, timber species and grade, and it works through the tables with me. I still verify against the actual span tables but the process is faster

[Forge45]

UK building regs interpretation is where I find it most useful. The documents are written in a way that requires domain knowledge to navigate and AI bridges that gap reasonably well

[Zach72]

The 'consult a professional' reflex is real but I have found that framing the question as wanting to understand rather than wanting permission gets better responses

[Baz_26]

Good framing tip. I ask what questions should I be asking a professional rather than can I do this myself and the answers are much more substantive

[ShadowPilot]

Materials list generation from a cut list is underrated as a time saver. Describe what you are building and it generates a reasonable shopping list including waste allowances

[Gaz90]

Plumbing questions are where it gets most cautious in my experience. Electrical is slightly more forthcoming which is arguably backwards from a safety perspective

[veritas.io]

The actually dangerous thing for DIY is not getting information, it is acting on information without understanding it. AI that explains the why alongside the what is safer not more dangerous

[Ruby92]

Agree with that. The safety warning culture assumes people cannot process information rather than helping them process it better

[RayOfLight]

Used it to work out the fall gradient for a drainage run last month. Gave it the pipe length and minimum fall requirements and it calculated the height difference needed. Straightforward and correct