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DIY? When it’s illegal, dangerous or just not worth it.

January 7, 2021 Leave a Comment

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By Zak Saboune

As anyone whoโ€™s been through a home renovation knows, cost is a huge factor. After making what feels like thousands of decisions over the course of a reno, it can be tempting to default to the cheapest option. Much of the time, this means forfeiting hiring a trained professional and doing jobs yourself. 

Itโ€™s easy to see why people often go down this route. Bunnings is filled to the brim with almost any part you could need for any given project, and YouTube provides the answer to almost any renovation-related project. After all, isnโ€™t that what DIY is all about?

However, in reality, there are some jobs that are simply too challenging for anyone but a licensed professional to handle. Just because you can physically purchase all the tools you need to do the job, it doesnโ€™t mean you have all the skills and knowledge to complete it safely and securely. 

In Australia, our laws on DIY electrical and plumbing work are much stricter than other countries, and with good reason. Throughout our time as emergency home service providers, weโ€™ve seen floods, voided insurance policies, and potentially fatal wiring all as a result of dodgy DIYs. Most of the time, the cost of fixing these mistakes is far higher than if theyโ€™d simply hired a professional to do the work in the first place. 

So how can you tell the DIY jobs from the ones that require a licenced professional? Often, itโ€™s as simple as looking at the label. The majority of the products that need to be installed by a licensed tradesperson will say so on the label or in the T&Cs. 

If youโ€™re watching a video on a particular installation, theyโ€™ll usually note that the job needs to be done by a licenced professionalโ€ฆ even if they then go on to give you a step by step guide of how to do it.

Light fittings and power points

Light fittings are one of the most common things that people believe they can install themselves. Theyโ€™re at Bunnings, youโ€™ve seen a family or friend do it themselvesโ€ฆ so why canโ€™t you? Australian law says you need a professional to install your light fittings for a reason. Get it wrong, and you could be putting yourself at serious risk.

The same is true of moving a power point to a different wall or into a different room – itโ€™s illegal to do it yourself, and could cause serious injury or even death. Itโ€™s definitely not worth the small amount of money youโ€™d save on hiring someone to do the job for you. 

Ceiling fans

Over time, weโ€™ve seen a lot of issues where people think that they can simply unplug, disconnect and reconnect the cabling in new ceiling fans. Like light fittings, itโ€™s one of those jobs that seems simple, but is actually far more complicated than it looks. We’ve certainly had more than a few disaster jobs sent through from dodgy ceiling fan DIY projects. 

Taps and pipes

Taps are another common area that people attempt to install themselves. But if you use the wrong feeding, thereโ€™s a very real risk of flooding your house, or even causing a gas leak. Weโ€™ve seen people using water piping on a gas line, or attempting to install gas fittings on water lines. In many cases, we have to pull the entire thing out and start again – which ends up costing more than if weโ€™d simply been able to install it correctly in the first place. 

Ultimately, if things go wrong, you run the risk of voiding your insurance. Insurers usually want to go after whoever completed the installation and therefore caused the damages. If you donโ€™t use a licenced tradesperson, who will be covered under their own insurance, youโ€™ll run the risk of not being covered. So unless youโ€™re prepared to pay out-of-pocket to clean up a flooded house or worse, then hire a professional. 

Put simply, if a job has got anything to do with water, sewage, or electricity, donโ€™t attempt it yourself. In the long run, itโ€™ll cost you far less in time, frustration, and hard-earned dollars. 

–Zak Saboune is a licenced plumber and founder of Service Today, one of Australiaโ€™s leading emergency home service businesses, with over 180 employees in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

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Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial family category and they're a special gift. So ends three weeks with @danisteve81 who left her husband and son in the UK (I'm forever grateful they lent her to me!) to come and cheer me up and help me in the most practical ways after I spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. There were tears and I miss her so much already but how amazing to have had all that time together as adults. Such a rare treat and would never have happened without having been through something so challenging. Silver linings and all that. So many other friends have also been incredibly thoughtful and kind. There aren't many times I'd say this without cringing but I am 100% blessed!

I still cannot believe we have been friends since we were 12! 12! Are you still close with your childhood besties?
The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

#slatefloor #slatefloors #80shouse #80sbeauty #camillohouse #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno #holidayhousesofinstagram #morningtonpeninsulahomes #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulasmallbusiness #blairgowrie #blairgowriebeach #airbnbstyle
Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’— Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’—
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner ๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ˜
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks since leaving hospital and I'm doing much better than I expected to be at this early stage. A long recovery road ahead but making progress in how much I can move my arm and although I drag myself through some days non-stop yawning, others I can go for a little walk or out for lunch before collapsing on the couch! I can now tie my own hair back and put on a real bra which is very exciting ๐Ÿคฃ Having my bestie here to help us with the boys, drive me places and just be brilliant positive company is the best thing I could have asked for not to mention the many Dinner Ladies vouchers from friends! Thanks for all your kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts and offers of help โค๏ธ
I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping to raise some awareness off the back of my misfortune (and also very lucky escape).

@newsouthwaleshealth have just put out this warning about a rise in serious bacterial infections. iGAS (invasive group A streptococcus) is what caused my necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.

Apparently there's similar happening in VIC too.

It's extremely rare but very serious nonetheless so please have a read and be aware of symptoms. I've linked to the article from a button via my link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #jenbishop #necrotisingfasciitis #groupastrep #groupastreptococcus #sepsis
While new technologies continue to shape the inter While new technologies continue to shape the interior design scene, one that has been getting a fair bit of traction of late isย marble-look porcelain. A cheaper alternative to natural stone, the latest printed porcelain tile technology makes it difficult to distinguish from the real thing.

Founded by husband and wife duo Anton and Rita Bourtsev, Sydneyโ€™s @kaolintiles has a unique offering in this space with over 100 different marble-look tile designs in small and large formats.

More via link in bio now.

#porcelain #porcelaintile #porcelaintiles #largeformattiles #largeformattile #marblelooktiles #bathroomtrends2023 #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #goldsink #brasssink #jenbishop #kaolin #kaolintiles #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger
Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I'll post and I hope to be home and with my lippie back on by Monday. You know it's serious when I'm lipstick free, right?!

This was about a week ago in intensive care. And although my arm is still bloody sore I'm now on a normal ward and no longer attached to any drips, drains or a catheter. I've come a long way.

This has been the most physical and mental challenge of my life but I'm through the worst. I kept my arm. The doctors saved my life.

I cannot say it enough times. If you're worried about your health, don't hang around. Things can change so quickly. 

A huge thanks to my amazing husband @damianfrancis We've had the hardest year yet and our marriage has never been stronger, even if my rings did get cut off my finger in hospital ๐Ÿ˜œ

As great of a job as he is doing at home with the kids, I cannot wait to get home now. Countdown is on to a new year and a fresh start.

And I can't say enough just how overwhelmingly grateful I am to all the medical professionals involved in my care, from the @healthdirectaus nurse who sent me to Emergency to the exceptional surgeons, doctors, nurses and support staff.

Happy New Year, everyone. Remember you never know what's around the corner and this is not a dress rehearsal!

And huge thank you for all your kindness here. Has been amazing while stuck in bed.

Xxx

For those who missed it, I was unlucky enough to get necrotising fasciitis. You'll have to Google it.
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