At a time when the nation is facing weeks under lockdown, people with plenty of time on their hands have turned their attention to improving their homes and gardens. Nick, who saw his BBC show pick up a BAFTA last year, has become renowned for helping people revamp their properties and back in 2011 told the Daily Mail about some of the advice he would give to DIY wannabes. The hacks cover a variety of disciplines from electricity to drilling.
The BBC star said: “I don’t claim to be a builder.
“But in the last 12 years of presenting DIY SOS and The Big Build, I have learnt enough to be confident of being able to build a house from scratch.
“It’s been a long apprenticeship, and the best tips I’ve picked up are to be realistic about what you can do, and to make sure you plan in advance.
“So many people get an idea in their heads and then go hell for leather, hacking at the walls, knocking holes in the ceiling and ripping fireplaces out. Most of the time there will be no end game.
“The team I work with are all master builders and while they might give me loads of stick for being a big-nosed bloke with big media hair, they have taught me an awful lot.”
His tips begin with “always taking one step at a time”, ensuring that rooms are cleared after work has been completed because otherwise you “become disheartened by the mess”.
The now 57-year-old is also keen that people “treat electricity with the utmost respect” and that if you are in doubt always get a qualified expert in because it’s “better a dead circuit than a dead loved one”.
He reminded those attempting DIY to pay particular attention when drilling, urging people to not drill around a light socket, and reminding them you can’t drill within 150mm of a socket.
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“Ask him the price of the job and what you can do in terms of preparation.
“That will be a case of money saved and time well spent.”
DIY SOS has run since 1999.
So far, the much loved series has produced 212 episodes.
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