Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

If you’re thinking about putting up a new garden fence, and maybe you’ve seen one you like down at your local garden centre or DIY superstore, just bear in mind that your budget does need to include a number of bits and pieces other than just the panels and posts. You will need a good selection of tools from your ‘household toolkit’, but in this guide I want to point out a few fencing essentials that you’re probably not going to find in your toolbox. read more »

Unblocking drains is never the most enjoyable of DIY jobs, and in many circumstances you may need to get the professionals in, but simple blockages (if there is such a thing!) normally have a fairly straightforward quick fix. In order to be prepared, shown below are three pieces of equipment I always have to hand should a blockage occur, somewhere in my waste and drain system. The good news is that none of these items are expensive, and all of them could save you a lot of money on calling out the pros to deal with your blocked drains. read more »

The tools you need for laying a laminate floor include many of the items you’ll find in your household toolkit, such as a hammer, saw, and tape measure. Some power tools are also handy such as a jigsaw, and mitre saw, but it would normally be possible to lay a laminate floor without them. However, there are three other more specialist tools that you won’t find in your toolbox, which are definitely essential pieces of equipment if you are intending on laying a laminate floor. read more »

Drill bits for wood are essential components of any DIY toolkit, and although there are many different drill bit designs on the market, you only really need three types to deal with the majority of your wood drilling requirements. The guide below details these different types of wood bit, and the situations in which you are most likely to need them. read more »

Working out how much a new bathroom is going to cost can seem like a complicated calculation, as the final price tag is dependent on so many factors, but if you break down the whole job into its component parts, it is possible to come up with a very accurate estimate. How much your final figure adds up to, will also be very much dependent on the amount of work you yourself carry out, and this is clearly the area where big bathroom savings can be made. read more »