The experts at Toolstation spoke to various tradespeople to get their thoughts on which jobs around the home should be left to the professionals.
According to the tradespeople, the “most common botched jobs” they get called out to fix include leaks, plumbing in appliances as well as decorating and so should always be left to the professionals.
1. Fixing leaks
Jamie, owner of Billabong Plumbing & Gas Services, said: “When money is tight, people will often resort to attempting plumbing jobs themselves to save money, but it can cost more in the long run.
“They then have to pay for my time to correct the problem, replacement parts and the cost to repair the damage, which is a lot more expensive than paying me to do the job in the first place.”
According to the pro, leaks should always be sorted out as soon as possible or homeowners risk other “expensive” issues further down the line.
2. Plumbing in appliances
Jamie continued: “The most common jobs people attempt include fitting their radiators, plumbing in taps, and installing electric showers.
“But when these jobs go wrong it often results in leaks and water damage, which is when I get a panicked call from a customer asking for help.”
3. Changing taps
A spokesperson from Toolstation said: “If you’ve spent £100 on new taps and make a mistake fitting them yourself, you’re going to have to pay around another £110 to £130 for a professional to fix the problem, and that’s if the issue is just with the taps.”
Common mistakes when replacing taps include tightening fittings too much, not using the right tools and not sealing threads.
4. Painting and decorating
Ollie, who is a plasterer, said: “I get called out for botched plastering jobs and sometimes this adds another day of work on top to have to re-prep the area and remove anything that they have done already. This adds roughly £150 to £200 to the job.”
30 percent of the trade experts who spoke to Toolstation stated that they fix mistakes at least monthly, sometimes even more frequently.
Half of the trade experts said they often turn down jobs due to the state of the job at hand.
Another job Britons should never attempt at home is removing asbestos, according to the pros at Checkatrade.
They said: “Asbestos comes with serious health risks. So much so that in 1999, the dangers of asbestos were officially recognised in the UK. All use of asbestos was banned.
“To have it removed, you will need a qualified surveyor to carry out an inspection. This costs around £200 and they will identify the type of asbestos in your home and any associated risks.”
