 Hi, I'm Dave and I'd like to show you just how easy home DIY can be. Now I've pulled together a few quick and easy DIYs that you can do to shape your space and put your own stamp on your home. Now, there's so many DIY projects that you can do without spending too much time or money, but they still have a massive impact on the appearance of your home, not to mention adding value. Let's get going. One of my favorite quick win DIY tricks to sparse up a room has to be flat packs. Flat packs are ready-made furniture that you can buy in a cardboard box ready to assemble which makes them really easy to transport. Almost everything is done for you. All the cutting and drilling is done. So all you need to do when you get home is follow the instructions and assemble them. And because most of the work is already done for you, you don't need any expensive tools for this very efficient DIY. Just a few hand tools. Flat packs can change just about any room in your home, from the kitchen to the living room, bedrooms, bathrooms and even the garden. Take a look at this kitchen made entirely from flat packs. So how did I do it? The first thing is to measure the room and then decide on the layout you want. Added some countertops, which I had cut to length for me and that's it. I know it's hard to believe, but I did this whole kitchen in two days, all by myself. As you can see, the units are very flexible and you can place them in any order to suit your needs. I found it easier to start in the corner, where I used a corner unit and then worked out from there. Adding units for an oven and a sink, then some smaller units to act as a pantry. Let your imagination run wild. Flat packs really are one of the easiest quick-wind transformations and these days the quality is brilliant and you can't believe how easy they are to put together. In fact, professional kitchen outfitters often use these exact units, which they mix and match to fit the client's space. You're doing the exact same thing, but saving yourself a ton of money by doing it yourself. If you're worried that assembling these flat packs is beyond you, check out the Builders vlog where you'll find step-by-step assembly videos to help you each step of the way. These kitchen select flat packs are so quick and easy to assemble yourself, saving you time and money and allowing you to create your very own kitchen exactly how you want it. Let me show you how easy it is. Another tip for giving your kitchen a quick facelift is just to upgrade the cupboard doors, changing the finish to something modern and untrained. This works really well if your existing carcasses are still in good condition. I would also recommend upgrading the hardware at the same time. And if you're done with that, a simple kitchen sink mixer upgrade is another easy DIY that modernizes the space. As most plumbing of kitchen sink mixers is done with flexible hose, this really is an easy one to do. Then there's painting. Nothing makes more of an impact for your time and money than a fresh coat of paint. And it's so satisfying to do. Making something old look new again. It's amazing what the right paint can do. The key to a good paint job, no matter what you're painting, is preparation. You really don't want to skimp on the prep. It's a good idea to prep your surface before you even buy your paint. Make sure that you don't get too excited when you get home with your paint and start painting before the prep is complete. And after preparation the most important thing is to make sure you've got the right paint for the job. Here are stored some old rusty burglar bars to look like new with some protective enamel paint. Such a simple DIY that made such a difference. To strip the paint I used a wire brush attachment on an angle grinder. Made the preparation process so much easier. I like to work smart so the right tools for the job are a must. In fact this has to be my number one piece of advice no matter what the project. The right tools make the job so much easier and in my opinion is why many DIY enthusiasts fail. Guys, spoil yourself and invest in your DIY success. You'll thank me later. So now that all the paint is stripped it's as easy as applying some fresh paint. As always for best painting results always read the instructions on the tin. Looks great and a cost effective quick win. Paint can also change the whole feeling of a room or your entire home by painting it in a fresh different colour. It's also a great way to keep on top of current trends without spending a lot of money. Paint is such an effective home renovation tool but you don't have to paint the entire house or even a whole room. Future walls are a great way to make a statement and to have some fun in your own space. Choose a bold colour or paint effect to highlight a piece of art or make a room look bigger, brighter or higher. Maybe even paint one wall in your bedroom a different colour to highlight the headboard. The options with paint are virtually endless and because it doesn't cost too much or take too much time it's safe to take a risk and have some fun. Now with paint I have one warning, don't skimp and bar cheap paint because you'll end up being frustrated and wasting money. Cheap paint doesn't cover well and often doesn't last so you end up spending more time doing multiple coats where one or two coats of a top quality paint would have done the job. Finally remember to look after your health when painting by using a mask, glasses and gloves and keep all the windows open so that you aren't affected by the fumes. Let's take a look at some flooring. Old tired floors can really bring down the appearance and value of your home. Most of us assume that replacing floors is a big and expensive job but it doesn't have to be. Two options for a floor makeover or laminate flooring and tiles and you don't have to be scared to do either. The quickest and simplest is definitely laminate flooring and you won't believe how easy this is. I know it's hard to believe but laying a laminate floor is actually a job that anyone can do. With the right tools and advice you can have a new floor done by you in just a day. Laminate floors come in various styles, finishes, thicknesses and grades where you're going to lay the laminate flooring will determine the grade you need just depending on the traffic the floor will receive. Now don't be intimidated by all the options, it's all easy to understand and even easier to do. Once you've measured your space it's simple to calculate the amount of laminate flooring you need and because modern laminates use a click lock system instead of glue there's no pressure. If you make a mistake it's so easy to fix. Good quality laminate flooring can last up to 20 years so it's a very cost effective way to spruce up your home. But remember laminate flooring is sensitive to moisture so it's not a very good idea to use it in kitchens or bathrooms. I definitely recommend tiling those areas. Now I know you're thinking, tiling is too hard for me but you're wrong. Even beginner DIYs can do a great job of tiling a floor. Tiling is one of the cheaper flooring options out there. There's just a few basic fundamentals to know and you'll have your room looking great in no time. I'm going to be tiling this small area just to show you how easy it is to do. So the first thing we need to do is prepare our area and paint it with our key coat. Now we'll just leave that to dry for 4 to 6 hours. Now we're ready to start tiling. So first things first we need to make sure we have straight lines to work off. So either take your lines off an existing tile or off a straight wall. Now to mix our tile adhesive. So for this 5kg bag of builder's tile adhesive I'll need to add 1.25 litres of water. And remember for high traffic areas or in showers and bathrooms replace the water with bonding liquid. Mix the adhesive until it's smooth and lump free. Now this is the important part and that's laying the adhesive. The first thing you want to do is wipe your area with a damp sponge. Now in laying the adhesive use your tiling troll. Spread the adhesive over the area and use the troll to create beads. Now carefully lay your tile down and give it a small back and forth movement to bed the tile. Making sure we use our spaces in between the tiles and our straight edge to make sure that we're going in a straight line. Here are some things not to do that many people get wrong. Don't swirl your adhesive. This creates air pockets under the tile which can result in cracked tiles. Don't apply spots to the tile. A tile needs a minimum of 85% coverage and applying spots leaves big spaces under the tile. That's when it sounds hollow and will also result in cracked tiles over time. You need to apply it in straight lines and if you have a rectangular tile like this one you'll want your lines running the short length to reduce trapped air. Now when we get to our wall we'll need to cut some tiles. Measure and mark the tile and then use the tile cutter to cut it to size. Now that our tile adhesive is dry we can start grouting. So I'll remove the spaces and mix up the grout. Again follow the mixing instructions on the bag. For this 2kg bag I need 600ml of water or bonding liquid for showers and high traffic areas. Use a grouting squeegee to work the grout between the tiles. Remove as much off the tiles as possible as we go. Now leave that to stand for 2 hours and then we can come back and clean it with a damp sponge. There we go that's my basic tiling 101. So follow those easy steps and you can do it yourself. If you own a home you're going to want to get as energy efficient as possible. With electricity prices on the rise and likely to carry on rising it makes sense to make your home as energy efficient as possible. It's also good for the environment. There are so many ways that you can save electricity in your home. You can buy new appliances that are far more energy efficient but there are also some smaller and cheaper things that you can do around your home that will add up to a big saving every month. Now if you only focus on one area to save electricity make that your geyser. Your geyser is probably switching on and off constantly every day especially in the colder weather. And when the temperature drops overnight your geyser is working overtime to keep the water hot even though you probably don't even need it. This adds up to a huge amount of wasted power. So what can you do? You can fit a geyser blanket to your geyser to keep it insulated or you can fit a geyser timer so that the water is hot at the times of the day that you need it and not when you don't. Then there's LED lighting which is a great way to save money for only a small initial outlay. LED lights last for years and use just a fraction of the energy that conventional light bulbs use. In fact LED lights can use up to 95% less electricity than incandescent light bulbs and they're pretty cheap to buy. LED technology has come a long way and LED lights are now available to fit all standard fittings even down lighters, tube lights and spotlights. They're even available in different brightnesses and temperatures so it really is a no brainer. Now one room that's often neglected is the bathroom which is silly because it's a room that often looks dated and which we can overall with a few simple steps. For example if you don't have the budget or expertise to fit a new bath or toilet you can still change the feeling of the bathroom by simply changing the bathroom fittings. Now don't be scared of drilling into the tiles to replace things like the tile rails. Just make sure you use the correct drill bit for cutting through the tiles and don't use hammer mode or you'll crack the tile. And when drilling into tiles the number one mistake is using hammer mode. Keep it as a rule, never use hammer mode when drilling into your tiles. The next thing we need to look at is your choice of drill bit. First is a normal masonry bit. Now it's not really recommended to use a normal masonry bit because they do burn out quite quickly on the ceramic tiles. Instead use a glass and tile bit. This will allow you to cut through the tile and then switch to a normal masonry bit to drill into the wall. Now another option is a ceramic tile bit. This bit has a special head allowing you to drill through the tile and then into the wall. But my favorite is the multi bit. This bit allows you to drill through the tile without cracking it and then switch to hammer mode quickly and easily going into the wall behind. There are so many things you can change like the bathroom shelf, tile ring or the toilet roll holder. A new set of taps or a new shower head and mixer will also go a long way to making your bathroom a more modern and trendy space. Then the DIY that so many are scared of, that's hanging new doors. Old doors that have been battered by kids and pets can rarely date a home and for some reason many of us think that hanging a new door is better left to the pros but it's actually something that you can definitely do yourself. Really easy DIY. So let me show you how to do it. Now guys before I remove this door I'm just going to chalk it up to support it. You can either make yourself some wedges or you can use some standard rubber door socks. Guys if your hinges look like this and there's a couple of coats of paint over it it can be tricky getting those screws out. So get your screwdriver in there give it a couple of taps with the hammer that will break the bond and make it much easier to remove those screws. Now when it comes to these panel doors it's very important to make sure that it's the right way around. You'll see there's an LB on the side and what that stands for is lock base. Inside the door there's an extra bracing for the lock. Okay so now we can put it into the frame making sure that the lock base stays on the correct side so where a second set of hats can come in useful pushing the door onto the frame so that I can mark it up from this side. Now before cutting along the markings that we made off the frame we need to add three moles for clearance. This will accommodate for the doors opening and closing. Now I'm going to make use of a nice long straight edge to join up those lines but the door marked up is now time to cut it down to size. Okay moments of truth. Perfect. Chock it up into place and now I can transfer my marks off the frame onto the door. Now that that's marked up we can take it back outside and cut the recesses for the hinges. Flat edge to the back gentle tap and we just trace out our markings. Now that we've outlined our area the next step is just to chisel out a few lines across. This will help you in removing the material. Now what I like to do is drill the pilot holes and then give it a good paint. Now that the paint's dry we can fit our hinges into the slots. Then loosely place it into the frame. Now that it's loosely in place we can use our wedges just to lift it up and get it perfectly lined up. Fits perfect and looks great. What an easy way to modernize your home. You'd be amazed at the difference a new door can make especially when it's freshly painted along with the rest of the room. And once you've hung them how about some new fittings to finish off those doors. Now let's move to the outdoors. When we're talking about shaping our space we shouldn't forget about the outdoors. Summer is on its way and that means we'll all be wanting to spend more time outdoors with family and friends. Enjoying the sunshine and be able to responsibly socialize again. Just as with the inside it's so easy to make changes to the outdoor spaces that have a massive impact on the way they look and the way you use them. The place to start is with your patio of veranda. We all know how much time we'll spend there on those long summer days. A patio makeover doesn't need to be expensive or take up too much time and can be as simple as a coat of paint or a new tile on the floor. Another great idea for flooring in your outdoor space is by laying artificial grass. This is hard wearing, trendy and easy to clean. It's also a really nice surface for the kids and pets to play on. Artificial grass can be bought in pre-cut sizes or by the meter and it's as easy to install as a rug. Just need to trim it to size. Then there's the modern outdoor furniture which has come a long way since those white plastic chairs and tables our parents and grandparents were limited to. These days there's a huge range of cool, modern and trendy furniture that will turn your boring and uncomfortable veranda into the hottest room in the house. There's also quite a few upgrades you can do to make it more comfortable. The first is an awning and a very useful type is a retractable awning that you can put up when you need to cover from the sun and keep folded away when you don't want to use it. This is a great way to extend your living space and they're so easy to install too. These extendable awnings come ready to install along with all the hardware you need all in one convenient package. With just a drill, a spirit level or a line level, tape measure and a spanner you can get the job done in a flash. It's important to get everything level. Then it's simply a case of drilling the holes, installing the brackets and then fastening the awning in place. And if you don't have space for an awning or you already have a roof over your patio, bear in mind that there's a lot of other options giving you shade in the summer. There are very cool umbrellas and sails that need either no installation or very simple installation. Patio blinds are another great way to turn your patio into an outdoor living space and make it more usable more often. They offer more privacy from the neighbors and offer protection from the elements. Installation is simple and requires just a drill, screwdriver, hammer, pencil and a tape measure. To install, simply measure and mark. Drill the holes and install the mounting brackets. The blind slots into the bracket and you're halfway there. To keep the blind from flapping in the wind they're supplied with anchor points and springs that we need to install at the base of the blind on the patio floor. Again, all you need to do is make your marks, drill the holes screw in the brackets and you're done. Another way to make your home more welcoming to yourself and your guests is to fit an awning over the front or back door. These are exceptionally easy to fit and they'll keep the rain off your head while you're fiddling with the key in the door or while your visitors are waiting for you to open the door. They also help to protect the door itself from the elements, keeping it looking good for longer. There are a few different sizes and styles so you'll definitely find one that fits your home. The cum is a flat pack and with everything included in the box all you need is a few basic tools to get the job done. Ornings are the perfect way to protect your doorways and windows from the harsh elements as well as just make it more pleasant for yourself. These multi-wall awnings are UV resistant easy to assemble and really easy to install. Follow these steps and I'll show you how easy it is for you to do yourself. First thing we need to do is peel back the foam a little on all four sides including the bottom. Now we can use the aluminium tape to cover and seal the open sides from dust and water. Carefully attach the aluminium rail to the other two sides of the sheet using a rubber mallet to tap it on. Remember to keep the flat side of the rail to the top of the sheet. This is the side of the sheet with the UV coating. Now carefully curve the sheet and gently insert it into the brackets. Secure it in with the screws. Now to install our awning. First, find the centre of the door. Measure the distance between the two centre points of the brackets and transfer those to the wall. Now draw plum lines up from your marks using your spirit level. Hold the awning in place to find the height that you want lining up the holes with the plum lines. Mark one hole as a starting point. Now you can drill the hole and loosely fit the bracket. Then hold it up making sure it's straight with your level and mark the other three holes. Now remove the awning and drill the remaining three holes. Now we can use our 13mm socket and ratchet to secure the awning to the wall with the bolts. And the last thing to do is peel off the plastic and then use some silicone sealer to seal the joint. This stops the water from running down the wall. There we go. Quick and easy to install and most importantly provides that cover that we're looking for. Once you've created the perfect patio you might start to think about elevating your brie into an outdoor kitchen. Building in a brie or a pizza oven is a fun upgrade that'll ensure that you make the best use of your outdoors. And obviously it doesn't need to end with the brie. You can also build a wood storage area as well as preparation counters and even some cupboards that is really like your kitchen is in the garden. This is another area that you can put your newly covered neck for tiling into practice. Another way to make big changes in the appearance of your patio is by cladding the walls. You can use formal tiles for this or you can use some stone look cladding that is really on point at the moment. These need no maintenance and will last forever. Cladding is actually no more difficult than tiling and it's particularly effective alongside your outdoor kitchen area or next to the pool or water feature. You can also plant a hedge or a pot plant at the base of the cladded wall to soften it and integrate it better into the garden. And if you're putting your kitchen outside, why not move the bathroom out there too? An outdoor shower is a touch of luxury that'll make you feel like you're at a classy hotel. And if you're only going to be using it in summer maybe after getting out the pool or cooling off after mowing the lawn you don't even need to fit the hot tap. Instead you can build a classy little shower space next to your garden tap and then connect some piping and a shower head to it. Some paving and decking should often style and make sure your shower doesn't create a mud bath. Something else that can make the outside of your home look much better is a new garage door. I know you think this is a job left to the professionals but you'd actually be surprised at how easy it is to do yourself. Now installing a garage door might sound like a huge job but builders have a wide range of roll up garage doors that you can actually install yourself. So the first thing you need to do is measure up the opening that you want to install the door on and select the correct size to cover the doorway. Just remember it's very important not to cut the straps until the door is in place on top of the brackets. So the first thing we need to do is remove the old door. Fill the holes and paint the area. Now to measure up so we can center the door on the opening. We also need to make sure that our door is going to sit level. So I'll put a straight edge between the pillars keeping it level with the highest point of the floor. So with our rail on our mark at the bottom we can use our spirit level on the side to make sure that the rail is straight and then mark through the holes to drill. You can make a depth stop by putting some tape around the drill bit so you can easily see when you've drilled deep enough. Now we can fasten our rails and brackets to the wall. First put your expansion bolts in the holes and tighten them up to lock them in place. Then remove the bolts place the rail in place and bolt to the wall with the fender washes between the bolt and rail. Remember that the brackets go on the top of the rail with the flat side up. Now have your friend help you lift and hold the door in place on top of the brackets while you loosely fasten the U-bolts. Now remember not to cut the straps until the door is in place and leave your U-bolts slightly loose. Now turn the door to a point where the door can slide down the rails. Then firmly hold the door and ask your friend to cut the straps. Now carefully guide the door down the rails to the floor. Make sure the stoppers are pulled out. Now from the inside of the door you'll need to wind up the shaft to put tension on the springs allowing the door to move up and down easily. Hold each side with a pop wrench and turn one side at a time making sure the shaft doesn't unwind. Turn it in the direction that the shaft will move when lifting the door. Keep winding it up until the door starts to lift. Then hold the shaft in place while tightening the U-bolts. The door should now easily roll up and down. Next is to close the door and mark the location of the locking mechanism on the rail. Then open the door and create a slot. I like to drill a few smaller holes close together and then use them as pilot holes to drill larger ones. Then use the file to neaten up the slot. Now install the handle through the pre-drilled holes. And there we go, what a difference. Now when you've realised that your garden is really an extension of your living space you'll quickly become inspired to make better use of it and the options are truly endless. Building a pergola in the garden is a great way of making it more usable during the heat of the day. And they're also great for climbing plants and creepers. How about a pergola covered in a grapevine or even a granadilla? And they're so easy to build too especially if you're making use of the pre-made panels and cutting service from builders. Finally, I need to make mention of outdoor flooring surfaces. A lawn is actually made up of thousands of little plants that need constant attention, feeding and watering, not to mention mowing. If your lawn is causing more stress than it's worth maybe think of introducing a gravel area into your garden. Gravel is neat and needs no maintenance especially if you install it properly with weed guard fabric underneath it and an edge of cobbles or pavers. Then you can use slate or some pavers as a pathway through it. Place a piece of furniture on it or plant some feature plants either in the ground or in the next dirt. Gravel can be used in formal gardens in neat geometric shapes and clearly defined edges or in more informal relaxed gardens in flowing shapes. Gravel also comes in all sorts of sizes and colors. Now that you're excited about all the possibilities it's time to do it for yourself. The first step is the hardest but once you've tried a few DIY projects you'll be amazed at how easy it is and how much you can actually do yourself. There are so many places to get tips and advice from YouTube, various blogs and your local hardware stores which offer a range of services to make sure you're successful at all your projects. Now if you need some inspiration check out the Bulders YouTube channel the blog on the website or pop into your nearest Bulders for some friendly advice. So what are you waiting for? Get to Bulders, get it done.