Are you any good at DIY?

starbelgrade · 07-11-2010 11:04PM #1

It's widely assumed that men are naturally good at DIY and women aren't, but is it actually true?

We sent RobitTV out on the streets of our nation earlier on this week & he found that this is not always the case. Some men claimed to be good at it, whilst others admitted that they could not even change a plug*.

And the ladies seemed to fare about the same.

So lads, are ye any good at fixing things, or just breaking them?

And ladies, are ye any good at doing it yourselves?

* = Seriously dudes, you lose your man card for that

alwaysadub · 07-11-2010 11:06PM

Yep i'm quite good at DIY. Know a fair bit of electrical stuff cos of my job, had actually thought about becoming a sparks at one stage.
Am handy with a screwdriver too.
Don't know anything bout plumbing though.

KeithM89_old · 07-11-2010 11:06PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

whilst others admitted that they could not even change a plug*.

Well thats my man card revoked

:(

stovelid · 07-11-2010 11:07PM

Defiantly useless.

My da used to try and teach me stuff but I'd imperiously wave him away with a impeccably cuffed sleeve and ride off on my Vespa.

starbelgrade · 07-11-2010 11:08PM

alwaysadub wrote: »

Yep i'm quite good at DIY. Know a fair bit of electrical stuff cos of my job, had actually thought about becoming a sparks at one stage.
Am handy with a screwdriver too.
Don't know anything bout plumbing though.

So you have to get a man in to sort out your leaky pipes then?

alwaysadub · 07-11-2010 11:08PM

I think if you go into advanced settings, you can change the thread title if you have to.

Princess Peach · 07-11-2010 11:08PM

I'm actually really handy at stuff. I did a woodwork class in TY, so I know how to use tools. I can build flat pack furniture and set up and fix technological dealies.

I will admit that my downfall is that I can't really lift very heavy things, or well I don't attempt to cause I'm not a fool.

But I can hang the pretty pictures on my walls all by myself

Add- I am a whiz with a power tool

Oranage2 · 07-11-2010 11:10PM

My style is usually try and fix something until it's completely obliterated.

starbelgrade · 07-11-2010 11:10PM

alwaysadub wrote: »

I think if you go into advanced settings, you can change the thread title if you have to.

Where are the advanced settings?

(me not so advanced)

foxinsox · 07-11-2010 11:10PM

Jeez..

I learnt how to wire a plug in first year in a convent school..

I would be pretty handy and give most things a go..

Wouldn't really attempt major electric or plumbing, but any other jobs I'd give them a go..

Better me trying than waiting months for himself to get around to it..

alwaysadub · 07-11-2010 11:10PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

So you have to get a man in to sort out your leaky pipes then?

Yep. Tried bleeding the rads before, but flooded the place, so don't try anymore

robbie_998 · 07-11-2010 11:11PM

kinky !

"Care to see my selection of "hand tools" !

"

jokettle · 07-11-2010 11:11PM

Rewiring plugs is not a problem, and I'm becoming skilled at peering at the fusebox and saying "hmmmm..." when one blows

plumbing is something I need to learn more about though. My carpentry skills extend as far as assembling flat-pack furniture!

I don't own any tools, but a butter knife can be used as a handy alterative to a flathead screwdriver. So i'm resourceful, too

whiskeyman · 07-11-2010 11:12PM

I'm great with DIY and fixin stuff.
Sure whenever there's a problem with the interwebz, Al Gore gives me a shout to fix it.

Leelaa22 · 07-11-2010 11:12PM

my parents are away and I plumbed in the new washing machine all by myself!!! The tiler came and was well impressed

alwaysadub · 07-11-2010 11:12PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

Where are the advanced settings?

(me not so advanced)

I dunno, i only said that to make myself look smart:pac:

Go into edit,and click go advanced. The thread title should appear*

*Not my fault if it doesn't though...

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 07-11-2010 11:14PM

I'm not great at making stuff, cept for flatpacks, but I'm good at fixing stuff

Most of it is common sense, just figure out how it works and what's stopping it from working
Then get out the duct tape and fix it

Latchy · 07-11-2010 11:14PM

Yeah am pretty ok with on the ol DIY and have enough tools, jigsaws , drills ,screwdrivers,extension cords and assorted tools of one kind in large toolbox to get through most average household jobs and put the flatback wardrobes up (thanks to cordless drills ) .I put a garden fence up a few years back ( still hasn't fell down :pac: ) and finished off painting my hallway last week .I also changed a plug on an iron yesterday .:p

Pighead · 07-11-2010 11:18PM

Pighead's a brilliant handyman. Have just finished painting the upstairs room and it looks great. Getting stuff done gives Pighead an enormous sense of well being (Porklife!)

starbelgrade · 07-11-2010 11:18PM

alwaysadub wrote: »

I dunno, i only said that to make myself look smart:pac:

Go into edit,and click go advanced. The thread title should appear*

*Not my fault if it doesn't though...

It's OK - I just took my laptop apart & rearranged a few bits & that seemed to have solved the problem!

alwaysadub · 07-11-2010 11:19PM

Pighead wrote: »

Pighead's a brilliant handyman. Have just finished painting the upstairs room and it looks great. Getting stuff done gives Pighead an enormous sense of well being (Porklife!)

Mrs Pighead didn't get to paint the room then?

Cheap Thrills! · 07-11-2010 11:22PM

I'm female and good at screwing DIY household...erm maintenance...!

I can decorate and do minor electrical and plumbing stuff. Once in another house the kitchen fitter bloke fitted a counter top not flat.

It got on my nerves so I removed the counter, the unit, the sink, the under sink plumbing and erm 'planed' down the unit and then replaced all the under sink/dishwasher/washing machine plumbing which was busily entangled in the unit. Replaced it all, worked perfect no leaks! (I had craftily drawn a picture of it all beforehand)

I also did coving, parquet flooring, all types of decorating including preparing the walls (the worst bit) filling all the damaged bits with caulk etc Sanding, stripping (oooer!!) Nitromorsing! Painting, wallpapering! Mosaic tiling!

After I moved out of that house of horrors I moved into a .....new build !!!

You better believe it!

(I can also do basic car stuff like jump start it/put in oil/water and change the wheel)

Thats it! oh yeh I can make flatpacks!! easy!

reverenddave · 07-11-2010 11:24PM

i'm a carpenter
and if i couldn't do anything around the house i'd be pretty worried

i'd do nearly everything except major electrical work anything else i'd do myself

Kimono-Girl · 07-11-2010 11:25PM

i can build flat pack, change a ballcock, paint a room (without streaking), wire a plug, install a washing machine, install a cooker, use most power tools and i know what they do to, i even bought my own tool sets!

starbelgrade · 07-11-2010 11:27PM

I'm fairly handy myself... I did all the work in our house when we moved in, from floors to plumbing. The only thing I didn't do was the tiling in the bathrooms because it seemed like a huge amount of work!

My proudest achievement though, was laying a patio & building a concrete base for the shed, mainly because I got to use cement mixer & a con saw (the king of power tools!).

I roared like a lion when I finished the job.

Leelaa22 · 07-11-2010 11:28PM

Kimono-Girl wrote: »

i can build flat pack, change a ballcock, paint a room (without streaking), wire a plug, install a washing machine, install a cooker, use most power tools and i know what they do to, i even bought my own tool sets!

I can do 4 of them, I think we have the right to feel pretty sumg with ourselves

Pighead · 07-11-2010 11:28PM

alwaysadub wrote: »

Mrs Pighead didn't get to paint the room then?

We came to an arrangement after hours of intense negotiations. Don't want to get into the in's and out's of said negotiations but lets just say this poster won't be filling his own hot water bottle tonight.

Owen · 07-11-2010 11:29PM

Unfortunately, I'm not the worst at DIY, car stuff, PC/Mac/Web/Electronics stuff, and can setup guitars, so I'm constantly hounded to do stuff for people. Saying no is also difficult, I need to learn how. In future, I'm just going to tell people I'm useless with that sort of stuff, waaaay easier

foxinsox · 07-11-2010 11:31PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

I'm fairly handy myself... I did all the work in our house when we moved in, from floors to plumbing. The only thing I didn't do was the tiling in the bathrooms because it seemed like a huge amount of work!

My proudest achievement though, was laying a patio & building a concrete base for the shed, mainly because I got to use cement mixer & a con saw (the king of power tools!).

I roared like a lion when I finished the job.

me too..

except for the roaring bit at the end.. :rolleyes:

starbelgrade · 07-11-2010 11:32PM

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Unfortunately, I'm not the worst at DIY, car stuff, PC/Mac/Web/Electronics stuff, and can setup guitars, so I'm constantly hounded to do stuff for people. Saying no is also difficult, I need to learn how. In future, I'm just going to tell people I'm useless with that sort of stuff, waaaay easier

You might want to change your username too while you're at it so!

Jaxxy · 07-11-2010 11:33PM

I'd class myself as brutal with most things DIY related. I can do some basic stuff like change a plug, light car maintenance (changing oil, tyre, jump starting etc) but that would be the extent of it. I had to put a flatpack wardrobe together before and it took me five hours before I called in some help of the male variety.

The mother is brilliant though. She tiled the bathroom herself, did the wooden floors downstairs and can hang doors.

Are you any good at DIY?

DIY.... are you? 156 votes

Comments