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[Misc] Mucked up again



Normal Rob

Normal Rob

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
5,662
Somerset
This weekend, in our new home, i managed to drop a heavy slate bathroom worktop onto the loo, smashing it to pieces. Not only that, it turns out that the loo needs a a rather unusual flush pipe that you cannot buy in the shops. To be honest my ineptitude is getting me down a little, as i frequently seem to muck things up when all I'm trying to do is help (this time i was trying to put put a disinfectant block in the hidden cistern). I've always been crap at this sort of thing, starting aged 2 when i flooded my parents house whilst playing in the bathroom.

Can people please post stories of their DIY disasters to prove that I'm not the only one, and put a smile back on my face. I've been thoroughly miserable ever since.
 
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Is it PotG?

Is it PotG?

Thrifty non-licker
Feb 20, 2017
23,364
Sussex by the Sea
Danny Baker's books have a few nice ones.

Painting the bedroom ceiling by jumping up and down on the bed, being over zealous with the tap when washing the lid of a paint tin and screwing his socks to the floor when constructing a flat-pack.
 


M

m@goo

New member
Feb 20, 2020
1,056
This is why I don't do most DIY. If I can't do it and if I can't afford to get it done then it doesn't get done.
 


lawros left foot

lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
Jun 11, 2011
13,726
Worthing
I generally have to do things twice, once to learn from my mistakes, and once to do it properly.
It’s a bit of a family joke.


I excelled myself recently though. I bought an 8 foot trampoline for the back garden for the grandkids.

4 goes to build it.

It was amazingly easy, once I read the instructions properly.
 


B

BLOCK F

Well-known member
Feb 26, 2009
6,357
Rob, sorry to hear of your woes.
I found out a long time ago that I was generally useless at all things to do with DIY and now leave everything to the professionals who have not only got the know how, but also the right tools for the job.
I can assure you that you aren’t the only one.
Hope you get it all fixed soon.
 




Uh_huh_him

Uh_huh_him

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2011
10,686
Not really a DIY disaster, but the most numbnuts thing i have ever done...


My Dad is an electrician - One birthday he asked me to get him a screwdriver that has a bulb inside, which lights up when it's touching a live wire.
I managed to get one and decided to test it by taking the back from a plug and then pushing it into a socket! :facepalm:

Quite an exhilarating second or two.
Think I was about 13 or so,
 




N

nickbrighton

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2016
1,926
My entire family are DIY experts, my father in particular. He would have no hesitation in deciding to knock walls dow3n, remove chimney breasts , all sorts. He was a master carpenter and cabinet maker. A proper highly skilled master of his craft.

Consequently I KNOW how to do almost everything, I certainly know how long things should take, and how they should be done. The one problem is I simply can not do anything more adventurous than paint a wall-but not the edges or woodwork.

I find in incredibly frustrating when Mr Nickbrighton does DIY, which he does very well and to a high standard, but when it takes him all afternoon to do a job that I know my Dad, or Brother, could do in an hour, and he doesnt do it the right way I get very irritated, and have to basically leave or I say something. Its the only thing that causes real tension between us, and its daft cause i simply can not do any of it. I just find it almost impossible to say "why dont you do it this way"

I am in awe of these people who can just do this stuff, and I hate the fact that I simply cant even though I know how
 




vegster

vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
27,894
Normal Rob said:
This weekend, in our new home, i managed to drop a heavy slate bathroom worktop onto the loo, smashing it to pieces. Not only that, it turns out that the loo needs a a rather unusual flush pipe that you cannot buy in the shops. To be honest my ineptitude is getting me down a little, as i frequently seem to muck things up when all I'm trying to do is help (this time i was trying to put put a disinfectant block in the hidden cistern). I've always been crap at this sort of thing, starting aged 2 when i flooded my parents house whilst playing in the bathroom.

Can people please post stories of there DIY disaster to prove that i'm not the only one, and put a smile back on my face. I've been thoroughly miserable ever since.
Click to expand...

If it's any consolation I'm as bad as you, tried various home " Improvements" over the years and they have either gone badly wrong, or needed purchase of special tools or equipment you never need again or just look like a bodge job at the end, Unless its incredibly simple I pay to have it done as It's not worth my stress, anxiety and despair. About the only thing I trust myself to do these days is to paint.
 


Poojah

Poojah

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2010
1,881
Leeds
I feel your pain. I can assure you, and my wife will absolutely attest to this, I am the most useless man alive when it comes to anything remotely practical, particularly anything that involves finesse or dexterity. I was born this way - my brain just isn't wired in a way that makes practical tasks, especially DIY, viable. What might seem like a straightforward task or series of processes to most people is utterly mindboggling to me - I genuinely couldn't even tie my own shoelaces until I was about thirteen, that's how bad it is.

My dear old mum has always told me that she thinks I am 'dyspraxic'. I'm not sure whether it's even a medically recognised condition, but it's essentially dyslexia for doing 'stuff'. My head doesn't communicate with my hands, and vice versa, in a smooth or logical way. It's like the messages my brain wants to send get scrambled along the way, so what happens at the other end bares no resemblance to what was intended. I have always been monumentally clumsy.

I make up for my flaws in other ways, but it's nevertheless quite emasculating having to 'get a man in' to put up a couple of shelves, or something equally rudimentary. The fact you're having a go is something in itself. I do, just about, have a go at flat pack furniture but that seldom ends well - the amount of times I've had to return things, half-built, because..."err...it was faulty", you wouldn't believe.

Just remember, no matter how bad you are at something, there's always someone out there who is worse than you. Except me. I am pretty sure I am the worst person in the world at DIY.

Don't sweat it, you're no doubt better than a lot of other people at something else.
 


T

timbha

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
9,904
Sussex
Normal Rob said:
This weekend, in our new home, i managed to drop a heavy slate bathroom worktop onto the loo, smashing it to pieces. Not only that, it turns out that the loo needs a a rather unusual flush pipe that you cannot buy in the shops. To be honest my ineptitude is getting me down a little, as i frequently seem to muck things up when all I'm trying to do is help (this time i was trying to put put a disinfectant block in the hidden cistern). I've always been crap at this sort of thing, starting aged 2 when i flooded my parents house whilst playing in the bathroom.

Can people please post stories of their DIY disasters to prove that I'm not the only one, and put a smile back on my face. I've been thoroughly miserable ever since.
Click to expand...

Those disinfectant block are no good for the cistern. They can cause limescale. I’m useless at DIY too
 




BN9 BHA

BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
21,561
Newhaven
Normal Rob said:
This weekend, in our new home, i managed to drop a heavy slate bathroom worktop onto the loo, smashing it to pieces. Not only that, it turns out that the loo needs a a rather unusual flush pipe that you cannot buy in the shops. To be honest my ineptitude is getting me down a little, as i frequently seem to muck things up when all I'm trying to do is help (this time i was trying to put put a disinfectant block in the hidden cistern). I've always been crap at this sort of thing, starting aged 2 when i flooded my parents house whilst playing in the bathroom.

Can people please post stories of their DIY disasters to prove that I'm not the only one, and put a smile back on my face. I've been thoroughly miserable ever since.
Click to expand...

I don’t think you need the unusual flush pipe if you have smashed your bog :moo:

https://www.toiletspares.co.uk/flush-pipes-seals.html

I know it’s being wise after the event but what sort of block were you trying to put into the cistern?
Some of these blocks can actually damage the components of modern cisterns.
 




pasty

pasty

A different kind of pasty
Jul 5, 2003
30,287
West, West, West Sussex
Not really our own fault, but had a paint tin handle snap at the top of the stairs down to the basement, resulting in 2 litres of white emulsion splattered all down the stairs

paint.jpg
 








Mr Bridger

Mr Bridger

Sound of the suburbs
Feb 25, 2013
4,444
Earth
bn9 bha said:
I don’t think you need the unusual flush pipe if you have smashed your bog :moo:

https://www.toiletspares.co.uk/flush-pipes-seals.html

I know it’s being wise after the event but what sort of block were you trying to put into the cistern?
Some of these blocks can actually damage the components of modern cisterns.
Click to expand...

This. Avoid toilet blocks

New builds have to have a non return valve on bottom entry cisterns due to back siphoning of these things.
 


R

Rowdey

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
2,537
Herne Hill
timbha said:
Those disinfectant block are no good for the cistern. They can cause limescale. I’m useless at DIY too
Click to expand...

Not sure about scale but they do break down into lumps, and then block the flush valve/syphon so you have constant running water, and then need a plumber to sort..
Always use one which goes in the pan, not cistern.. :thumbsup:
 






BN9 BHA

BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
21,561
Newhaven
Mr Bridger said:
This. Avoid toilet blocks

New builds have to have a non return valve on bottom entry cisterns due to back siphoning of these things.
Click to expand...

I believe Fluidmaster flush valves have a warning in the instructions to not use toilet blocks.

I curse every time I have to change anything in a cistern that has a blue or green toilet block, I’ve had blue hands, blue tools and blue towels :eek:
 


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