Should we DIY these jobs?

DD265 · 14 December 2018 at 8:21PM

The survey has come back on the house we're buying and there are a few fairly minor (I think) things to be done. We're FTB and have been renting so we don't have much DIY experience; putting curtain poles up is about the extent of it thus far. Plenty of common sense though and will look into 'how to' if we're gonna DIY.

1. Kitchen window (external) mastic needs resealing - this is one I'm not sure on given the risk of leaking if we mess it up.
2. Loft insulation - 250mm, I believe 270mm is optimal so we probably want to whack some more on top. There's no floor to take up; it's just loose boards at the moment.
3. Timber fascia boards and soffits - 'minor deterioration was noted to their decorative finish' so I'm guessing this is up on a ladder (two story house), sand and paint appropriately job.
4. Conservatory perimeter mastic seals have minor shrinkage - bit like the kitchen window I'm a little wary of DIY this.
5. Minor shrinkage to mortar pointing joining conservatory to house. I've re-pointed a canal wall before but that didn't need to be pretty...

On the one hand, the more money we can save by DIY the better plus it gives us an opportunity to learn, but I can appreciate that having to call a pro out to fix your mess probably ends up costing more in the long run.

keithdc · 14 December 2018 at 8:55PM

DD265 wrote: »

The survey has come back on the house we're buying and there are a few fairly minor (I think) things to be done. We're FTB and have been renting so we don't have much DIY experience; putting curtain poles up is about the extent of it thus far. Plenty of common sense though and will look into 'how to' if we're gonna DIY.

1. Kitchen window (external) mastic needs resealing - this is one I'm not sure on given the risk of leaking if we mess it up.
2. Loft insulation - 250mm, I believe 270mm is optimal so we probably want to whack some more on top. There's no floor to take up; it's just loose boards at the moment.
3. Timber fascia boards and soffits - 'minor deterioration was noted to their decorative finish' so I'm guessing this is up on a ladder (two story house), sand and paint appropriately job.
4. Conservatory perimeter mastic seals have minor shrinkage - bit like the kitchen window I'm a little wary of DIY this.
5. Minor shrinkage to mortar pointing joining conservatory to house. I've re-pointed a canal wall before but that didn't need to be pretty...

On the one hand, the more money we can save by DIY the better plus it gives us an opportunity to learn, but I can appreciate that having to call a pro out to fix your mess probably ends up costing more in the long run.

2- Don't bother- the difference is probably minimal and you the cost of additional insulation will be disproportionate to energy savings
3- do you need to do anything?

Will leave others to comment on 1,4, and 5.

Whitterbod · 14 December 2018 at 9:02PM

hello , there are youtube videos showing how to replace the mastic round windows ,screwfix has a range of frame sealers in different colours , remove old sealant with care clean frame replace sealant and finish with a smother ,with most diy tasks its safer and less stressful to work of a scaffold tower ,for the fascia i use exterior primer and gloss, remove gutter and sand down old gloss ,wipe down sanded area ,apply undercoat and gloss as per instructions , refit gutter making any repairs ,as for the loft as the insulation can be dusty and itchy use a dust mask and paper overalls gloves ect, crawl boards are moved around the loft and a lead-light to see what your doing, if you have some diy skill you will be fine,and dont mind balancing awkwardly in the loft ,the loft insulation comes in different thicknesses for topping up , i research on the web this way i know what needs to be done and what items are used and to what standard ,and the cost is only on consumables as my labour is free , good luck with the diy

tacpot12 · 14 December 2018 at 9:20PM

All these jobs are within the capabilities of the homeowner, providing they research the work. The fascia is the least suitable for DIY, just because it involves working at height. Whitterbod is right; this would be much safer done from a scaffold tower. If you intend to do this work yourselves every few years, you might consider buying a scaffold tower if you can find a secondhand one on eBay. You might offset the cost by renting it out to neighbours.