Most husbands seem to think they’re a DIY expert to some degree – but finding a bloke who’s as much of a handy Andy as he says he is can be pretty difficult. We may have come a long way in terms of equality in the workplace and the home in recent decades, but age old gender roles seem to remain when it comes to DIY – as soon as a job crops up, the man of the house will usually step forward and strongarm the job. In extreme cases, he may even attempt to do some pretty technical stuff before giving up the ghost and calling in the experts.

Wondered how to let your husband down gently when a DIY job comes up? Let us explain how… 

1. Distract him

Toilet won’t flush? Leaking pipes?  Broken taps? Suggest you enjoy a weekend away before he even realises, get a relative to house-sit and call in an emergency plumber. He’ll be none the wiser and you’ll get the job sorted as quickly and easily as possible. 

2. Give him something else to do

If you’re too late to do the above, you’ll need to think more laterally and find something else (easier) to do. Think creosoting a fence, arranging his tools or mowing the lawn – jobs any old idiot should be able to do without too much bother.  

3. Pal him up with an expert

If your bloke is insisting that he carries out a job himself,  consider whether a friend or relative (with the skills needed) could be brought in to ‘oversee’ – ie do – the work.  Ideal if you count Craig Phillips or handy Andy himself among  your contacts. 

4. Fix it yourself

Send your man out for ‘supplies’ and sort the problem out yourself – he’ll be so impressed when he gets home that he’ll totally forget that you’ve effectively stolen his thunder. Obviously, this option will only work if you can actually do DIY, rather being as equally clueless as your hubby.  

5. Get plumbing insurance

You’ll tell him you’re getting plumbing insurance to save money on labour and parts should the worst happen. And while this is totally valid, the real reason why you’ll be getting it in place is to stop your hubby from trying to tackle a plumbing job himself – and doing even more damage. From burst pipes to blocked toilets, there’s a whole host of things that can go wrong in and around your home – and plenty of ways your wannabe handy Andy could make things a whole lot worse by doing the wrong thing.

Post by Alex