When can you DIY?

Tradespeople tell LISA SALMON how to do simple jobs around the home... and when you might need to call in the professionals

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MOST homeowners have been faced with a problem or repair so small or simple that they've tried a bit of DIY to fix it.

But sometimes even the smallest DIY job can be tougher than antici-pated, and you might need to call in a pro after all. But how do you know whether you can do it yourself?

Andy Simms, a renovation expert from MyBuilder.com, has decades of experience working in construction and property, and advises on common DIY questions asked on the site's Ask A Tradesperson section.

He says: "There are many mysteries when it comes to maintaining and decorating our homes, but the good news is that most of these questions can be easily answered.

"While many requests around home maintenance or problems seem simple, such as blocked loos or beeping smoke alarms, it can be tricky to know what to do if you haven't dealt with the problem before.

"The majority of these questions can be answered online, but if you're having doubts, it's always worth getting a professional in."

Here, Andy and Fantastic Handyman renovation specialist and handyman coordinator Violeta Stoyanova outline common DIY problems and whether householders will be able to tackle them without the help of a professional...

How do I unblock a toilet?

Unblocking a toilet is easy with the help of a plunger, says Andy. Just push the plunger down and up in the toilet bowl with increasing force, to allow the water to start going down and for whatever's blocking to flow through.