65% of people plan to take on major DIY projects over the Bank Holiday weekend
Big Brother's first winner and makeover king Craig Phillips has revealed the DIY project he'll be taking on this bank holiday weekend – and new research suggests 65 per cent of us will be following suit.
Speaking to MailOnline and This is Money, he revealed he plans to freshen up his garden furniture by painting it after the harsh winter.
Craig is currently looking to sell the family home, Park Avenue, in Prescot, Liverpool, which he built with his wife Laura.
Mr Craig said: “My wife Laura and I will be focusing primarily on the garden area of ​​the house.”
“There are a lot of things in the garden that need tending and painting because it's exposed to the elements all year round. It needs tending and painting to keep it looking nice. It's going to mean more time spent in the garden.”
He added: “Firstly we wash off all the old debris and moss and then we wash down the fence panels with a jet washer.”
“We've also got some garden furniture that needs to be cleaned, primed and painted – the key is to get it prepped first.”
“Once that's all done, we'll have a barbecue, weather permitting. We've also built a brick barbecue grill and pizza oven.”
“Then, in the evening, when the temperature drops, we light a fire in a firebrick fire pit.”
New research by Loftzone has revealed that 65 per cent of people across the UK are planning to undertake some major DIY projects over the long Bank Holiday weekend.
The most popular tasks people want to complete are yard maintenance (41%), spring cleaning (34%), and redecorating (24%).
Meanwhile, over half of respondents revealed they consider the attic to be the “dumping ground” within their home, and 43% admitted to having overlooked the space for DIY projects, unaware of its energy-saving and storage potential.
Dave Raval of LoftZone says: “Homeowners often overlook the potential of their lofts. They think of them primarily as storage space, but there's so much more to them than that.”
He adds: “Lofts can be a source of savings, increase energy efficiency, increase home values ​​and provide additional storage solutions.”
“Many people don't realize that 25 percent of the heat in a typical home escapes through the ceilings and roof, so attic insulation is crucial to keeping your home warm and preventing heat from escaping.”
LoftZone data found that a third of people turn to videos on social media for inspiration and ideas for DIY projects, and 51% of Gen Z and millennials would rather get DIY help and advice online than from family and friends.
Craig's Weekend DIY Tips
Here, Craig shares his best tips for DIY tasks this Bank Holiday weekend…
1. Garden furniture
As the weather starts to change, many people are thinking about what renovations they can make to their gardens to bring them back to normal.
Your garden furniture has taken a beating over the winter and can easily be given a makeover with a lick of paint.
If you have metal or wooden garden furniture, it may be a little rusty and peeling, but you can remove the rust by washing it with a jet washer and then bringing it indoors to dry.
Once completely dry, consider applying a wood treatment to the exposed wood to help it last a little longer.
Then consider using natural mineral paints, which are environmentally friendly and fairly inexpensive – there are some great colors available.
I really love the yellow of the daffodil to brighten up the garden.If you have metal furniture, it's pretty much the same procedure but you don't need to add any wood treatments.
2. Loft space
The purpose of converting a loft space isn’t necessarily to create more living space in your home, you may simply need some vital extra storage space.
Many of us find that we tend to hold on to too many things that we don't use often or that we may never use again.
My wife, Laura, still has her wedding dress seven years later and it takes up a lot of space hanging in her cupboard. She probably won't wear it again, but she doesn't plan on getting rid of it.
Plus, if you need a safe, dry place to store things you absolutely can't bear to part with, like your Christmas tree and decorations, vacation suitcases, or old family photo albums, the attic is the perfect place.
3. Energy Improvements
Storage space isn't the only added benefit of installing a loft board – your loft's insulation can be upgraded to meet the appropriate regulations, saving on energy consumption, being better for the environment and saving on your energy bills – a win-win situation for us all.
It will also help you when it comes time to sell your home as you will need an EPC certificate, and having the right levels of attic insulation installed will improve your EPC rating.
Having a well-insulated loft space will help prevent unpleasant drafts and noise from the loft area from traveling to the bedrooms below.
There may be water tanks there that can make noise, or sounds may come in from outside.
What many people don't realize is that loud noises from outside can sometimes make their way into your home through your attic. Many times, homes have walls made of two layers of brick or block that help prevent airborne noise from traveling.
However, the roof structure is only felt and batten, with a tiled surface and a layer of plasterboard between the loft and the bedroom.
Here, additional loft insulation and raised floorboards help to absorb and dampen sound that travels into bedrooms and hallways.
4. Measures against drafts
Adding draft protection around door and window frames can make your home more energy efficient and comfortable.
These DIY tasks are easy and quick to complete yourself and don't cost much.
Draft control devices can be installed with minimal tools and in just a few hours.
I always ask people to go home and put their hand on the inside of their door, window frames, mailbox, cat or dog vents and see if they can feel any cold air coming into the house.
If you feel cool air coming in, that means hot air generated by your heating system is also escaping.
Again, this comes at a cost to both your bank account and the environment.
5. Energy Savings
Bleeding your radiators, replacing and upgrading the thermostats on each radiator and applying insulating reflective foil to the backs of your radiators can make significant savings in energy consumption.
Again, this kind of DIY work is achievable on a budget and can be done with little to no experience.
If you are looking to replace your radiator thermostat yourself, we recommend watching an online video demonstration to walk you through the process and ensure you are doing it correctly and safely.
With the UK facing an ongoing energy crisis and the cost of living rising, people are now more than ever looking to save energy in any way they can.