Things beginners do wrong when they first start home DIY

[TheRizz96]

I have been doing my own home repairs and projects for about five years now and I still wince looking back at my first few years. Curious what the community here considers the most common and costly beginner mistakes, whether in tools, technique, planning or expectations

[Forge45]

Underestimating how long everything takes and then rushing the finish because you have run out of weekend. A rushed finish on a tiling job looks terrible for years

[ShawnMichaels99]

Not turning off the relevant breaker before doing anything electrical. Even low-voltage stuff. The habit needs to be automatic before you start

[Tel86]

Buying the cheapest possible tools for a first project. A bad drill, a bad saw and a bad spirit level will produce bad results even if the technique is perfect

[Always_Craig96]

Skipping the preparation phase. Painting over walls without cleaning and priming them. Tiling over a substrate that is not properly flat. The prep is the job

[GoldbergFan86]

Not getting a damp meter before painting or plastering anything in an older property. Painting over damp just traps it and creates a much bigger problem

[Woven Sasha]

Using the wrong fixings for the wall type. A plastic rawlplug in a plasterboard wall will pull straight out. Know what your wall is made of before you drill it

[GlassyCandle]

Assuming the walls, floors and ceilings in an older house are square and level. They never are. Always check with a spirit level before any fitted furniture or tiling