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Most Common DIY Mistakes Revealed

Posted on by MAXAM INFO

Homeowners and landlords might be tempted to conduct their own property maintenance at the moment, as lockdown has made it harder than usual to get professional help to repair faults.

However, not everyone is handy with tools and many people end up making costly mistakes when they attempt to fit solar reflective glass film or fix tiles on their roof.

Here are just some of the most common DIY mistakes many people end up making that you should try and avoid.

 

  • Hitting yourself with a hammer

Although this seems like a simple mistake to avoid, it is surprising how many people are guilty of slamming a hammer into their fingers, even experienced handymen and women.

DIY expert and TV presenter Max McMurdo told Ideal Home that this “still happens to me”, adding: “A top tip of mine for avoiding this is to practice on an old piece of wood until you perfect your swing, holding the hammer at the end of the handle away from the head.”

 

  • Gluing things together

Another mishap that clumsy DIY-ers are prone to is gluing things together, including their fingers. Superglue is incredibly strong and can be difficult – and even painful – to remove. Therefore, it is important people take proper precautions when using it, making sure to be precise when applying the glue and washing hands immediately afterwards.

The article advised: “DIY mistakes are easy to make but can lead to injuries. So always take care when performing home improvements.”

 

  • Wrong measurements

Something most of us can admit to doing is taking the wrong measurements. We might have cut everything down to size or ordered certain furniture to fit the space only to find the measurements are slightly off. When it comes to DIY, a few millimetres can make all the difference, so it is essential to be precise with measuring and double check the results you take down.

Bianca White, founder of the DIYher Workshop, told Best Life Online: “Measure your space or item twice so you can make sure your finished product will turn out perfect.”

 

  • Rushing the job

Homeowners might have grand plans for their DIY project, only to want to rush the job once they begin due to it being bigger, more time-consuming or complicated than they anticipated.

However, it is essential they do not rush their project, as this can lead to many mistakes in the long-run. A rushed job is likely to be imperfect at best, and need re-doing entirely at worst, so take care with every step, even if you lose motivation.

Leah Maria of Leah Maria Designs told the publication: “It can be hard to stay motivated when you think your project will take you a day and it turns into a week.”

She suggests having breaks when taking it slowly to avoid frustration, adding: “You can bet the end result will be that much better because it wasn’t rushed.”

 

  • Cost-cutting on materials

Just like you should not cut corners when it comes to how much time you devote to a project, you should also not scrimp on the cost of materials.

While the most expensive items do not always mean you get the best results, buying the cheapest products could mean you have a lot of maintenance repairs to do in the future.

Ms Maria said: “Having quality materials will make your life so much easier.”

What’s more, it could end up more cost-effective if you do not have to redo the project in the future.

 

Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Flush Wet Wipes

Posted on by MAXAM INFO

Being careful with what you send down the drains at home or at work is the best way of making sure that you don’t end up with blocked and clogged sewers, which can quickly become very problematic – potentially even resulting in backed-up sewage flooding into your property.

One of the worst culprits for causing blockages is wet wipes – even the ones that say they’re flushable on the packet – and you would be very wise indeed to make sure you never send these spiralling down the drain.

But it seems that there are many out there who aren’t aware of the difficulties that flushing these products can cause, not just for themselves but for their local community. After all, a blocked sewer will affect lots of people and water suppliers will have to divert funds that could be better spent elsewhere resolving the issue.

In fact, in 2017 trade organisation Water UK carried out the biggest-ever in-depth investigation of sewer blockages in the UK and found that flushed wipes are causing very real problems in our sewerage system.

It was found that wipes make up about 93 per cent of the material that causes blockages – important when you think that there are around 300,000 blockages annually, which costs the country £100 million to sort out. Instead, this money could be used to improve services or to reduce bills. 

And thousands of properties see sewer flooding as a result of blockages each year, leading to high cleanup bills and increased insurance costs. There’s also the environment to consider and sewer flooding can cause real damage in this regard, as well.

Just this week (June 2nd), Yorkshire Water had to issue a plea to local residents in Leeds to be careful with what they flush and send down the sink, after the city saw two big sewer blockages that needed to be resolved.

Key workers spent over three hours removing a fat blockage from Weetwood, while a large number of wet wipes had to be removed from a sewer in Headingley.

Similarly, over in Sheffield, key workers had to attend to an incident in the Gleadless area of the city, removing six bags of wet wipes from a single manhole. Once the blockage was sorted out, the sewer level returned to normal, reducing the risk of leaks.

It’s not just wet wipes and fat that you need to be mindful of when using toilets and sinks, however, and you would also be wise to make sure you don’t wash any coffee granules down the drain, as these can cause blockages, as well.

And if you’ve been doing DIY during lockdown, be mindful of how you dispose of any associated waste, as there has been an increase in building materials being sent down into the sewers (including concrete!) over the last few months… and these will cause blockages as well.

Do you need drain unblocker at the moment? See what we’ve got in stock.

Hackney Council Exploring How To Restart Housing Maintenance

Posted on by MAXAM INFO

With the government starting to ease the lockdown restrictions in England and prime minister Boris Johnson stating that those who can go back to work should do so if they are unable to work from home, many local authorities and councils are exploring how best to return to maintenance and housing repair work in the coming weeks.

The Hackney Citizen reported that Hackney Council is among them, with the council currently exploring the options for restarting maintenance and fire safety works on its housing stock after putting the majority on hold during lockdown.

Emergency repairs have continued to be completed throughout lockdown, but there is currently no non-emergency work being carried out on residential properties.

The Town Hall recently decided to extend its contracts for planned and responsive maintenance works to its housing stock. These will now run into 2021, the newspaper revealed. The contracts in question with Engie, Mulalley and Wates Group were due to expire on 31 August this year.

Head of property and asset management for the Town Hall Sinead Burke, explained that one of the reasons why the council requested the extension was because many of its planned projects had been “highly disrupted” by the lockdown.

This is because much maintenance work needs to be conducted in homes that people are currently living in, which she explained is “not considered appropriate at this time”.

Ms Burke also revealed that the lockdown had impacted the council’s procurement work, which means it is not currently able to source replacement contracts as staff have been diverted to work on planning for the coronavirus response.

In addition, the Town Hall postponed consultation notices that were due to be sent to leaseholders. This will mean that new projects will be delayed while council leaders work out how they can safely resume maintenance work across their property portfolio.

It’s not only councils and local authorities that have to work out how to restart maintenance work across property portfolios, but also those operating in the private sector.

To help businesses navigate the new regulations and restrictions, Propertymark has created guidance for its members that covers everything from how to conduct valuations and viewings for estate agents to how to safely carry out maintenance work on homes and obtain the necessary certification.

The organisation also shared a post explaining what businesses need to consider before they bring their staff back to work. Being able to maintain a distance of two metres between employees is essential, as well as ensuring everyone has access to handwashing facilities and hand sanitiser.

It also recommended carrying out a deep clean of any premises that have been unoccupied for a period of several weeks before bringing staff back in.

If you need heavy-duty cleaning products, get in touch with us at Maxam today to find out how we can help. We have heavy-duty cleaning wipes, multi-purpose surface disinfectant and hand sanitiser available. 

We also provide emergency window glass repair, in case your property has sustained any damage while it hasn’t been in use.

Essential Repairs And Maintenance During Coronavirus

Posted on by MAXAM INFO

While we are all under direction to stay at home, and only travel for essential shopping and work, and maintain social distancing measures, it can be tricky for landlords to perform vital property maintenance.

According to government guidelines, landlords should still carry out urgent essential repairs and maintenance during the pandemic, and we have more information to help follow the guidelines while carrying on with your responsibilities.

The guidance from the government says that landlords are required to continue with ‘essential health and safety repairs’, ensuring that properties meet the required standard of health and safety for tenants.

Repairs and inspections need to be balanced against the risk of infection and the spread of the virus, so you’ll need to make a judgment call on urgent jobs and those that can wait.

The urgent issues that would affect the physical or mental health of your tenants include:

 

Structure and exterior

The landlord remains responsible for any repairs to the exterior of the property and must maintain that it is structurally sound.

This could mean issues with the fabric of the building, such as a leaky roof, or security issues such as a broken window or lock.

 

Heating and boiler

As noted in section 11 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985, landlords are responsible for the provision of safe, working heating in a property. A broken boiler means tenants are without heating or hot water, which could be detrimental to their health.

 

White goods

During the coronavirus outbreak, if white goods like fridges, freezers and washing machines break, it means tenants won’t be able to store food safely or have clean clothes. They’ll need to be fixed urgently.

 

Kitchen and bathroom

It is also the landlord’s responsibility to maintain all ‘sanitary installations’, such as toilets, sinks, baths, etc. Plumbing issues should be treated as urgent during the pandemic, as it can affect toilets and washing facilities.

 

Carrying out the work

The government says tradespeople can still carry out repairs and maintenance in people’s homes, as long as if the tradesperson isn’t sick or showing coronavirus symptoms. Should your tenants be self-isolating or high-risk, tradespeople can only “remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household”, and only if they are willing to visit the premises.

 

Everyone should follow social distancing guidelines, in all instances.

Always document the conversations you’re having with tenants and contractors about repairs and maintenance.

Landlords need to complete an annual gas safety check, and new electrical safety standards are being introduced in July. These mean that you’ll need to complete electrical safety checks every five years.

If you or your contractors are required to visit the property for repairs and maintenance during the pandemic, then:

 

  • avoid all direct contact with tenants
  • ask tenants to stay in a different room for the duration of the visit
  • wash your hands often (before, during and after your visit)

Keep in contact with your tenants and let them know that it’s important for them to tell you if they’re self-isolating. And, as always, make sure you give your tenants at least the minimum required notice. Read the government advice on social distancing and hygiene for more detailed guidance.

If you need property maintenance equipment, then get in touch!