Unit 1 Do It Yourself
Save Money, Have Fun:The Joys of Doing It Yourself
By Kate Hilpern
1. My father made every shelf and many of the cupboards in the house where I grew up. He tiled our bathroom, laid our carpets, put up our wallpaper and made and built our climbing frame. My father-in-law, equally expert at DIY, re-wired his entire house. So how is it that my husband and I learned so little? How is it that, faced with our new home last year, we looked at the long list of renovations required, looked at each other and agreed to call in the experts?
在我长大的房子里，每一个架子和许多橱柜都是我父亲做的。他给我们的浴室铺了瓷砖，铺了地毯，贴了壁纸，还给我们做了攀岩架。我的岳父，同样擅长DIY，重新布线了他的整个房子。那么，我丈夫和我为什么学得这么少呢?去年，面对我们的新家，我们看了一长串需要装修的清单，互相看了看，然后同意请专家来，这是怎么回事?
我父亲在我长大的房子里做了每一个架子和许多橱柜。他给我们的浴室铺了瓷砖，铺了地毯，贴上了墙纸，制作并搭建了我们的攀爬架。我的岳父，同样是DIY专家，给他的整个房子重新布线。那么，我和丈夫怎么学得这么少呢？去年，面对我们的新家，我们看了一长串需要翻新的房子，互相看了看，然后同意请专家来，这是怎么回事？
2. Until that is, we did our sums. Suddenly, DIY seemed our only hope. And so, hammer in one hand, power drill in the other, we found ourselves working through some of our long list ourselves. While we learned mainly through trial and error, we found to our surprise that we actually enjoyed it. Putting up shelves, painting rooms and even doing some amateur carpentry has, dare I say it, turned out to be pretty good fun, extremely satisfying and most importantly, it’s saved us a lot of money.
在那之前，我们算过了。突然间，DIY似乎成了我们唯一的希望。就这样，一手拿着锤子，一手拿着电钻，我们发现自己正在完成我们长长的清单上的一些任务。虽然我们主要是通过试错来学习的，但令我们惊讶的是，我们实际上很喜欢它。我敢说，搭架子、粉刷房间，甚至做一些业余木工活都非常有趣，非常令人满意，最重要的是，这为我们节省了很多钱。
在那之前，我们做了算术运算。突然间，DIY成了我们唯一的希望。因此，一只手拿着锤子，另一只手抓着电钻，我们发现自己在处理一些长长的清单。虽然我们主要是通过试错来学习的，但令我们惊讶的是，我们真的很喜欢。我敢说，摆架子、粉刷房间，甚至做一些业余木工，结果都很有趣，非常令人满意，最重要的是，这为我们节省了很多钱。
3. We are, it seems, not alone. Many people who have traditionally feared DIY like the plague are becoming increasingly confident. In a recent Home Improvement Report, almost half (47 per cent) of respondents said they would be doing some form of DIY in the next 12 months — ranging from painting and decorating to landscaping the garden.
我们似乎并不孤单。许多传统上害怕DIY的人变得越来越自信。在最近的一份家庭装修报告中，近一半(47%)的受访者表示，他们将在未来12个月做某种形式的DIY——从油漆、装饰到美化花园。
我们似乎并不孤单。许多传统上害怕像瘟疫一样DIY的人变得越来越自信。在最近的一份《家庭装修报告》中，近一半（47%）的受访者表示，他们将在未来12个月内进行某种形式的DIY，从绘画、装饰到美化花园。
4. It’s not just the recession that is forcing people into DIY, believes Todd, an expert from Wickes. “It’s a huge factor for some, but others are realizing that by doing relatively little, you can add quite a lot of value to your home. Then there are those who are simply taking advantage of the fact that you can find the information and advice you need in so many places now — from books to television programs to specialist magazines to how-to leaflets and cards in DIY stores. The Internet is fabulous too for finding tips and advice and how-to videos. ”
威克斯的专家托德认为，迫使人们DIY的不仅仅是经济衰退。“对一些人来说，这是一个很大的因素，但其他人意识到，只要做得相对较少，你就可以为你的房子增加很多价值。还有一些人只是利用了这样一个事实:你现在可以在很多地方找到你需要的信息和建议——从书籍、电视节目、专业杂志到DIY商店的入门手册和卡片。互联网也非常适合寻找技巧、建议和操作视频。”
威克斯的专家Todd认为，不仅仅是经济衰退迫使人们自己动手做。“这对一些人来说是一个巨大的因素，但另一些人意识到，只需做相对较少的事情，你就可以为你的房子增加很多价值。还有一些人只是利用了这样一个事实，即你现在可以在很多地方找到你需要的信息和建议，从书籍到电视节目，从专业杂志到DIY商店的传单和卡片。互联网在寻找技巧、建议和操作视频方面也非常棒。”
5. Start with simpler tasks, such as constructing flat-packed furniture, fixing shelves and replacing internal door handles, and do your research to understand what exactly is involved, Paterson advises. “Our most recent poll showed that 53 per cent of people are still quite afraid of DIY, but that’s mainly down to lack of confidence, which can be built up quite easily,” she says. Before you know it, you’ll be putting up curtain poles, changing toilet seats, tiling bathrooms and wallpapering.
帕特森建议，先从简单的工作开始，比如制作平板家具、固定架子和更换内部门把手，然后做好调查，了解具体涉及到什么。她说:“我们最近的调查显示，53%的人仍然很害怕DIY，但这主要是因为缺乏自信，而自信是很容易建立起来的。”不知不觉间，你就得安装窗帘杆、更换马桶座圈、铺浴室瓷砖和贴墙纸了。
帕特森建议，从更简单的任务开始，比如建造扁平家具、固定架子和更换内部门把手，并进行研究，了解具体涉及到什么。她说：“我们最近的民意调查显示，53%的人仍然非常害怕DIY，但这主要是因为缺乏信心，而信心很容易建立起来。”。不知不觉，你将竖起窗帘杆，更换马桶座圈，给浴室铺瓷砖，贴墙纸。
6. “Be realistic about how long a job will take you. At B&Q we show what you can achieve in half an hour, half a day, half a weekend and so on. One of the easiest mistakes is to think. ‘Oh I’ll decorate the lounge this weekend,’ only to find that it doesn't give you time to do all the preparation. You’ll wind up doing a bad job and not surprisingly, will be less keen in future. ”
“对一份工作所需的时间要现实一点。在百安居，我们向你展示你在半小时、半天、半个周末可以完成的事情。最容易犯的错误之一就是思考。“哦，这个周末我要装饰休息室，”结果发现你没有时间做所有的准备工作。你最终会把工作做得很糟糕，而且不出意外，你将来对工作的热情也会降低。”
“对一份工作需要多长时间要现实一点。在B&Q，我们展示了你在半小时、半天、半个周末等时间内可以取得的成就。最容易的错误之一是思考。‘哦，我这个周末会装饰休息室’，结果发现这没有给你时间做所有的准备。你最终会做得很糟糕，毫不奇怪，将来会不那么热衷。”
7. Make sure you have the right tools for the job, adds Bosch Power Tools’ expert handyman Chris Tidy. “It sounds obvious, but many people don’t and it can be frustrating to have to spend another hour out of your day getting a hammer or some extra screws. ”
确保你有合适的工具，博世电动工具的专家勤杂工克里斯·蒂齐补充道。“这听起来很明显，但很多人都不知道，每天又要花一个小时去买锤子或额外的螺丝钉，这很令人沮丧。”
博世电动工具公司的专业杂工Chris Tidy补充道，确保你有适合这份工作的工具。“这听起来很明显，但很多人并不这么认为，不得不在一天中再花一个小时买一把锤子或一些额外的螺丝，这可能会让人沮丧。”
8. One of the biggest obstacles to DIY is the potential for damage that could end with you paying a professional vast sums to sort out a disaster you’ve created, says Tidy. “But start small, and it soon becomes clear what you’re a natural at. People surprise themselves at how much they’re drawn to wood work or decorating and how quickly they learn. ”
蒂奇说，DIY的最大障碍之一是潜在的破坏，你可能会花一大笔钱请专业人士来解决你制造的灾难。但从小事开始，很快你就会发现自己擅长什么。人们惊讶于自己对木工或装饰的兴趣之深，以及他们学习的速度之快。”
蒂奇说，DIY最大的障碍之一是潜在的损害，最终可能会导致你支付专业人员巨额费用来解决你制造的灾难。“但从小处着手，很快就会清楚你天生擅长什么。人们会惊讶于自己对木工或装饰有多着迷，学习速度有多快。”
9. There are two areas to avoid at all costs without training — gas and electrics. “We deal with so many instances of the public taking on dangerous DIY jobs in these areas,” says a DIY website spokesperson. “We were recently called to re-do a bungled DIY repair job on a gas fire, which had started leaking into the living room. The customer had tried to light it and it was pure luck the flame didn’t catch. People are always putting in extra sockets and using the wrong cables with the wrong current, causing them to melt before the fuse — a massive fire risk. Another common blunder is to install light fittings without earthing them first, which causes an electric shock. ”
在没有接受过培训的情况下，有两个方面是无论如何都要避免的——煤气和电。一家DIY网站的发言人说:“我们处理过很多公众在这些地区从事危险DIY工作的例子。”“最近，我们被叫去重新做一项拙劣的DIY修理工作，因为煤气炉已经开始泄漏到客厅。这位顾客曾试图点燃它，纯粹是运气，火焰没有燃烧起来。人们总是在插入额外的插座，用错误的电流使用错误的电缆，导致它们在保险丝之前熔化——这是一个巨大的火灾风险。另一个常见的错误是安装灯具时没有先接地，这会导致触电。”
在没有培训的情况下，有两个领域需要不惜一切代价避免——天然气和电力。DIY网站发言人表示：“我们处理了许多公众在这些地区从事危险的DIY工作的案例。”。“最近，我们接到电话，要求重新对一场开始泄漏到客厅的煤气火进行一次拙劣的DIY维修。顾客试图点燃它，但幸运的是火焰没有被点燃。人们总是在错误的电流下插入额外的插座和使用错误的电缆，导致它们在保险丝之前熔化，这是一个巨大的火灾风险。另一个常见的错误是安装灯具配件没有先接地，这会导致触电。”
10. Sylvia Marshall got the DIY bug so much that she ended up ditching her high-powered city career, where she’d won a businesswoman award, to set up a DIY website, at the same time learning more hands-on skills which enabled her to do up properties and sell them on. “I couldn’t do anything just five years ago,” says Marshall. “But then I was thrown into having to do some work on our new office, a derelict bank, after builders let us down. I got a couple of books out of the library and started trying to tidy up the mess they’d made, and I found I quite enjoyed some of the jobs. I videoed what I did and when I put it on the Internet for friends to see, I was amazed to find hundreds of people looking. They were dying to share experiences and advice and we became a community of mainly women learning DIY together. ”
西尔维亚·马歇尔(Sylvia Marshall)对DIY非常着迷，以至于她最终放弃了自己在城市里的事业，在那里她获得了一个女商人奖，建立了一个DIY网站，同时学习了更多的动手技能，使她能够组装房产并出售。马歇尔说:“五年前，我什么都做不了。“但后来我不得不为我们的新办公室做一些工作，那是一家废弃的银行，因为建筑商让我们失望了。我从图书馆借了几本书，开始整理他们弄得乱七八糟的地方，我发现我很喜欢其中的一些工作。我把我做的事录了下来，放到网上给朋友们看，我惊讶地发现有数百人在看。她们渴望分享经验和建议，我们就成了一个社区，主要是女性一起学习DIY。”
西尔维娅·马歇尔（Sylvia Marshall）太喜欢DIY了，以至于她放弃了自己在城市的高影响力职业生涯，在那里她获得了一个女商人奖，建立了一个DIY网站，同时学习了更多的动手技能，这使她能够建造财产并将其出售。“五年前我什么都做不了，”马歇尔说。“但后来，在建筑商让我们失望后，我不得不为我们的新办公室——一家废弃的银行——做一些工作。我从图书馆里拿出几本书，开始努力整理他们弄得一团糟的东西，我发现我很喜欢其中的一些工作分享经验和建议，我们成为了一个主要由女性共同学习DIY的社区。”
11. Marshall burned her business suit and went on courses to learn more. “I used what I learned to encourage more women to take up DIY — to show them that if I can do it, anyone can. ”
马歇尔烧掉了她的西装，去上课学习更多知识。“我用我所学到的东西鼓励更多的女性开始DIY——告诉她们，如果我能做到，任何人都可以。”
马歇尔烧掉了她的西装，继续学习更多的课程。“我用我学到的东西鼓励更多的女性开始DIY——向她们展示，如果我能做到，任何人都能做到。”
12. Marshall’s advice? Trust your gut instinct. “If you think you can do something, you probably can and if it feels like a mountain, it probably is, at least for now. Also, don’t beat yourself up if things go wrong because they will. When I started plastering, I used to use a bucket when I needed a tea cup. When I started tiling, it would take me 20 tiles before I got the right cut. But I did learn and I’ve just finished fitting my kitchen — a huge saving and great fun. ”
马歇尔的建议吗?相信你的直觉。“如果你认为你能做某件事，你可能就能做到，如果感觉它像一座山，它可能就是一座山，至少现在是这样。此外，如果事情出了问题，不要自责，因为他们会的。当我开始抹灰的时候，当我需要一个茶杯的时候，我就会用一个水桶。当我开始铺瓷砖时，我要花20块瓷砖才能找到合适的切割方式。但我学会了，我刚刚完成了厨房的装修——省了一大笔钱，也很有趣。”
马歇尔的建议？相信你的直觉。“如果你认为你可以做点什么，你可能可以，如果感觉像一座山，那很可能是，至少现在是这样。此外，如果事情出了问题，不要自责，因为它们会发生的。当我开始抹灰时，我需要一个茶杯时就用一个水桶。当我刚开始铺瓷砖时，我要花20块瓷砖才能得到正确的切口。但我确实学会了，而且我刚刚完成了厨房的装修——这是一个巨大的节省和巨大的乐趣。”
