What this planner gives you
This planner takes a common household job and your experience level, and returns the tools you will need, the steps in order, and the thing most likely to catch you out.
It is a checklist rather than a calculation. Most DIY jobs fail on sequence and preparation rather than on skill, and having the order written down before you start is a surprising amount of the battle.
Project
Project plan
Before you start any job
- Gather everything on the tool list first. Stopping mid-job to buy something is where most projects stall for a fortnight.
- Read the whole step list before beginning. Several jobs have a step that must happen before an earlier-seeming one.
- Check whether the work is notifiable. Electrical work in kitchens and bathrooms, gas work and anything structural have legal requirements.
- Allow more time than you expect, particularly for a first attempt. Preparation and clearing up routinely take longer than the job itself.
Painting is perhaps 20% painting and 80% clearing, filling, sanding, cleaning and masking. The same ratio applies to tiling, flooring and sealant. Jobs that look rushed almost always had the preparation cut, not the finish.
How this calculator works
A lookup by project, returning three things:
Tools — the full list needed before starting
Steps — in the order they must happen
Warning — the most common failure point for that jobThe plans cover painting a room, fitting shelves, building flat-pack furniture, replacing silicone sealant, laying laminate flooring and putting up a curtain pole. Experience level adjusts the guidance rather than the steps — the sequence is the same whoever is doing it.
Worked example: painting a room
Selecting "Paint a room" as a beginner returns:
- Tools: roller, brush, dust sheets, masking tape, filler, sandpaper, tray
- Steps: clear and protect the room, fill and sand imperfections, clean surfaces, cut in edges, roll walls in sections, allow to dry fully, apply second coat, remove tape carefully
- Warning: ventilate well and use the right paint for kitchens or bathrooms
Note that only two of the eight steps involve applying paint. The other six are preparation and finishing, which is a fair reflection of where the time goes. "Remove tape carefully" appears as a step for a reason — pulling tape off dried paint takes the edge with it, and it should come off while the final coat is still slightly wet.
Common mistakes
- Starting before you have every tool. The missing item is always discovered at the worst moment.
- Cutting preparation to save time. It shows in the finish and cannot be corrected afterwards.
- Doing notifiable work without approval. Electrical and gas work have legal requirements.
- Underestimating drying and setting times. They are not negotiable and dictate the schedule.
- Working at height without a stable platform. Falls from ladders are a leading cause of serious DIY injury.
Frequently asked questions
What DIY work is notifiable?
In England and Wales, most new electrical circuits and consumer unit work is notifiable under Approved Document P, as is some work in kitchens and bathrooms. Gas work must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer — it is a criminal offence otherwise. Structural alterations, new drainage and window replacement also engage building regulations. Rules differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What tools are worth buying first?
A decent combi drill, a set of screwdrivers, a tape measure, a spirit level, a stud and cable detector, and a utility knife cover most of what a household needs. Beyond that, hire rather than buy anything you will use once — mixers, SDS drills, floor sanders and tile cutters are all cheap to hire and expensive to own.
How do I know if a job is beyond me?
Reasonable tests: does failure risk injury, does it risk serious damage to the property, is it legally restricted, and can it be undone if it goes wrong. Painting fails none of those; electrics and structure fail several. Being honest about the answer before starting is cheaper than being honest halfway through.
How much should I allow for going wrong?
Time rather than money is usually the constraint. A first attempt at a job typically takes two to three times as long as an experienced person would need, and materials waste is higher. Budget a whole weekend for a job you have been told takes an afternoon.
Is what I select stored?
No. Your selections are processed in your browser and never transmitted or retained.
Related tools
References
- Health and Safety Executive — ladder safety, working at height and safe use of power tools
- GOV.UK — building regulations, Approved Document P and notifiable work
Sources are checked at publication and can change — how I choose and check references.