Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

Home safety is of paramount importance for all of us, and from time to time we should all take a ‘step back’ and just make sure that we’re doing everything we reasonably can, to make our homes as safe as possible. I don’t want to talk about home security here, as I think that is a separate topic in itself, but rather, issues more concerned with topics such as fire safety. The below list of 10 home safety tips read more »

A good home maintenance schedule is essential for all of us, and exterior maintenance is of paramount importance as failure to look after things outside, may even cause structural damage. Even the jobs that don’t have structural significance are still vital, because if you let your outdoor features and surfaces deteriorate, it generally ends up costing you money to restore them, further down the line. The list of tips below is by no means comprehensive read more »

How much do extensions cost? Or, what will it cost to add on an extra room? Both these questions appear fairly high on my “frequently asked questions” list, and on a basic level, there is a simple answer, but this is quickly followed by advice containing much greater detail, that will immediately start pushing the initial figure up. This guide therefore looks at finding your initial starting estimate, as well as pointing out the factors that will impact on this estimate to determine how much your extension may finally cost. read more »

Decorating the exterior of your home is a DIY task that can range considerably in size, depending on your circumstances. You may literally have  a few small details that require painting if you live in a uPVC double-glazed unpainted brick home, or alternatively, re-decoration will be on a much larger scale if your house is rendered with wooden windows, for example. My list below can be applied to all outside decorating, but it is probably of most interest to those people with lots of wood, and lots of walls to paint! read more »

Standard, humble, masking tape………..just so many uses.

My top 10 uses for masking tape does include some ‘masking up’ to divide different painted surfaces, but not as many as you may think. Don’t get me wrong, masking tape is useful for defining precise paint edges, in some situations, but most of the time you are far better off painting edges without the aid of tape. Yes it is true that if you use top quality (and expensive) masking tape, and combine it with pin point perfect technique in application, you can get a good finish, but to be honest, in most situations you really don’t need it.

However, my aim to make people cut down on masking tape use in the situations described above shouldn’t worry manufacturers, as I still use tonnes of the stuff for many, many other jobs. My top 10 uses below are the areas I use masking tape most. And before you ask which type? I’m talking about the standard buff-coloured masking tapes rolls, nothing pricey, nothing coloured, nothing low tack, not the really cheap stuff, but the next grade up…..just standard, ‘classic’ masking tape. read more »