Top DIY kitchen disasters – and how to avoid them

Avoid DIY kitchen disasters with tips from DIY Homefit

It has been a long dark winter, but spring is on the way. And spring is the time when many of us feel motivated to If you are planning to update your kitchen and are doing some of the work yourself, there are various pitfalls to be aware of. Almost everyone has a tale to tell about a home improvement project that has gone terribly wrong, with disastrous results.

Recent research from Direct Line found that 90% of tradespeople have experienced a rise in call outs to sort out botched DIY jobs, at an average cost to the homeowner of £900. Interestingly, they attribute this rise to the increase of instructional videos on social media such as YouTube and TikTok : and 57% of homeowners who have started DIY jobs do admit to being influenced by media or social media.

An estimated 82% of homeowners have taken on DIY projects in the last two years, many of them DIY kitchen projects, including painting, putting up fittings and plumbing.

So if you are planning a DIY kitchen project this spring, what are the DIY disasters to beware of, and how can you try to prevent them?

Top 10 DIY disasters

According to research from Co-op Insurance, these are the top ten DIY disasters:

• One seemingly simple job led to another bigger and more expensive job;
• Burst water pipe;
• Spilled paint on carpets/floors;
• Plaster damage from putting a shelf up;
• Personal injury;
• Drilled into electrical wire;
• Drilled into a gas pipe;
• Fell through the ceiling;
• Made a hole in my roof;
• Window fell out when I was fitting it;
• Measured carpets wrong, didn’t fit the room;
• Caused structural damage.

How to avoid DIY kitchen disasters

As many of the above disasters could happen when you are doing DIY kitchen work, what can you do to try and prevent this?

Here are five tips that may help:

• Plan your time and budget

Underestimating the time or cost of your DIY kitchen project is a very common problem. In fact, some professionals advise you to greatly increase your initial estimate by doubling the number and jumping up to the next unit of time for your estimate. For example, if you think your DIY kitchen project will take 3 days, it may be more accurate to allow 6 weeks.

This may seem a little extreme, but many a DIY kitchen project has been abandoned in frustration – or handed over to the professionals – because it is taking far too long. So taking time to create a realistic plan – and budget – before you start your DIY kitchen project is well worth it.

• Don’t skimp on tools and resources

The next essential step for success with DIY kitchens is to ensure you have the best tools and resources for the job. This will take a bit of advance research, and then time and money to get everything you need. If there are specialist tools needed for the project, you don’t necessarily have to buy these : you may be able to borrow from friends or family, or hire from a local tool store or hire shop. But don’t skimp on getting what you need and try to cut corners by tackling the job with inadequate tools. 

The other important consideration here is to then make sure you know exactly how to use the tools so that they will safely do what you need them to do. Whilst power tools can both simplify and perfect many DIY projects, they can do enormous damage if used incorrectly. 

• Ensure your measurements are correct

One of the most basic keys to getting a DIY job right is taking the correct measurements in the first place. Yet this is one of the things that people most often get wrong. And if you are installing new kitchen cabinets or worktops as part of your DIY kitchen project, it can be pretty disastrous when you realise that the measurements are wrong and they won’t fit.

It’s always best to measure with someone else so that you can cross check the numbers and confirm they are correct. Where possible, also try to use computer design software to check how the items fit in the overall layout of the room. And for larger items such as kitchen cabinets it can also be helpful to make a mock up – for example using newspaper – just to get a better idea of the space the item will take up when it’s actually in place. Because sometimes, even if you get the measurements correct, the item just doesn’t look right once it’s there, and you may then realise that you would have preferred a different layout.

• Always put safety first

Safety should always be your number one consideration during DIY kitchen projects. We have already mentioned the importance of becoming familiar with the tools you are using. But also consider wearing protective clothing such as safety goggles, gloves and dust masks when working in dusty environments or with potentially hazardous materials such as glass or spray paint.Also ensure the room is well-ventilated when using paint or any other material that generates toxic fumes or dust..

And remember that when fixing or checking electrical appliances or connections, always switch off the power and remove the fuse or circuit breaker. Ideally, electrical work should always be carried out by an experienced electrician to ensure the safety of all involved.

• Don’t rush

When working on your DIY kitchen project, don’t rush any aspect of it. Rushing a job can often cause things to go wrong and could even lead you to have an accident. Many of the Top Ten DIY disasters we listed earlier can be avoided if you take time to plan and carry out the work, and know when to consult a professional if you are unsure about anything.

We explained earlier the importance of allowing plenty of time for your DIY kitchen project, and if you are prepared to do this, you are more likely to achieve an end result you will be proud of, with no DIY kitchen disasters along the way.

We hope that this article provides some tips about how to succeed in your DIY kitchen project, and avoid any potential disasters that could happen.

For further ideas and inspiration on how to improve your kitchen, why not take a browse through DIY Homefit’s gallery of kitchen pictures.

And remember to visit us again soon here at DIY Homefit for more home and lifestyle tips.