My husband is a keen and competent DIY-er. There's very little he won't have a go at repairing or creating and his tool collection is ever growing as each birthday and other gifting occasions go by.
Only a couple of weeks ago on Father's Day our adult children presented him with the cordless angle grinder he has been coveting for quite a while. It made me chuckle to hear it in the garden the next day as he walked round looking for something to use it on.
He is most definitely your man if you want a shelf, shed or shelter building and erecting. He can lay paths and patios, paint and decorate and even once, years ago, built a little tunnel for our train-mad toddler to run his collection of Thomas the Tank Engine engines through.
But there are some things even he is reluctant to tackle and some things he downright refuses to touch.
We have learned over the years that plumbing is not really his strong suit and although he can plumb in washing machines and dishwashers and the like, the new vanity basin installation at my son's home nearly broke him. Building the cupboard bit was fine but getting the plumbing bit working and leak free was more tricky and he's really not keen to repeat the experience so it looks like I am stuck with my bog-standard basin on our downstairs facilities.
Electrical work he used to do but since regulations have tightened up (quite rightly) and work needs to be carried out or inspected by a qualified electrician he has left that work to the professionals.
Gas work is something he has never touched. I recall one call I got when I was a print journalist about a little buy who was severely injured and badly scarred for life after his family carried out alterations to their gas piping themselves and a massive explosion resulted from their poor workmanship. Nothing would possess me to get anyone but a qualified and certified expert to install or repair gas pipes or appliances.
When it comes to fridge repair I believe that's another job best left to experts, especially when you bear in mind they contain potentially dangerous gases. Even fridge disposal can be dangerous so when you buy a new fridge or freezer If there's an option for th delivery company to also take away your old appliance, this is an option I would strongly recommend.
We have had a few dishwashers over the years since my mum and gran bought us our first model as a wedding gift. In the past when one died we simply bought a new one but nowadays being a little more aware of wanting to be more eco-friendly I think we would consider looking into dishwasher repair. Being mostly electronic that's something even my talented husband would not consider trying himself - much better to find someone locally who knows what they are doing and has a certificate to prove it.