My parents back in the old country more years ago than I care to remember christened me James.
I moved to Australia in the 1970’s and settled in the western suburbs of Sydney where I have lived ever since. My neighbours recognised that I was a dab hand at simple house repairs and gardening and I used to help out – occasionally for just a small fee – with odd jobs as I enjoyed getting out and socialising in this way with the community.
Needless to say, I prided myself on having the best garden in the street in Toongabbie and always did repairs to my property stopping short of anything to do with electricity or plumbing bar changing a plug or a washer of course.
The neighbours called me “Jim’ll Fix It” a name that stuck for several decades until my namesake, disgraced in a scandal the like of which Britain had never seen before, encouraged people to change the moniker to “Mr James’ll Fix It”! It was kind and matched my advancing years.
I thought I’d list a Top Ten of easy things you can do yourself:
• Fixing leaky roofs: Avoid bigger trouble down the line by checking for missing tiles and using sealant or replacements. On metal roofs use a rust inhibiting primer and paint.
• Fill small cracks in drywall with spackling compound or joint compound. Use a wall repair patch for larger cracks and repaint when dry.
• When repairing wooden fences, always treat with stain or sealant to protect against the Aussie elements.
• Tighten loose floorboards by adding screws or nails and for laminate just replace planks with new ones, it’s not difficult. I did this when we had a big leak – the guys from Thunder Plumbing did the major work expertly.
• When repairing or replacing window screens you can cut out the damaged section and buy screen repair kits from hardware stores. I did this on a bathroom window during a mini-renovation recently.
• When painting interior walls prep by filling holes, sanding and applying primer if needed. Those simple steps along with quality paint mean you can look like a pro.
• Use caulking around doors, windows and baseboards to prevent draughts during the winter months. It’s not rocket science.
• Although I’ll always call a qualified electrician for most electrical jobs there are a surprising amount of flickering issues that can be sorted with a screwdriver and a replacement part. Just turn off the mains to be sure!
• When fixing things like handles, hinges or locks make sure that the replacement part fits by photographing the necessary specs for the hardware shop visit.
• When it comes to the garden just get out there and have a go! There are so many tips online to make a beautiful garden and the exercise is good for the body and soul.
But always prioritise safety and codes especially in plumbing as well as electrics.
Then you might be affectionately known as Mr or Mrs Fix It in your street!
