MATRIZ FODA

It was at the outset of the DIY project – or “point of departure” as Alan put it (suggesting that his projects were something of a personal journey) – that my interviewees said they first started thinking about how to actually turn their ‘idea’ (a modern or more functional kitchen, a new lawn, a deck etc.) into an achievable and affordable set of tasks – in essence, thinking about the practical matters with which they would need to address. Barry, for example, told me that before starting projects, he and his wife Janice nearly always considered the cost and timing of the job, the skills and resources needed and, for the “serious stuff” especially, the best sequence of tasks. He added that he derived a great deal of enjoyment from these initial household discussions – the conceptualisation and planning that he and his wife did together

118 (which emphasised the importance of teamwork in the planning of projects)43 – particularly the initial problem solving:

We always work through the planning together you know, start with the idea and then do the fine tuning. You see it all come together in your head as you work it out and that’s the part we really like … Before we start the serious stuff I usually draw the concept and think about the cost of materials, and think ‘how long will it take, and hell, can I actually do it ?’ Like I’m currently planning my pop-up sprinkler system and I’ve drawn it all up and I’m researching the size of the hose and the nozzles I’ll need … We even plan the timing of our projects like around the seasons, like planning to paint in the warmer months. If you don’t plan it you’re going to wreck even the smallest job and it’ll cost you too much or it’ll never get finished. I mean, you do have to know if you can afford it, if you have the skills and you do have to do some rough costing, even if it’s just a small project. Sometimes you’ll just sit down with your wife and work it out over morning tea with a cup of coffee (Barry).

Planning a DIY project was a process that, like Barry, all of my interviewees enjoyed. Furthermore, most shared the view that careful planning was essential in order for any project to succeed i.e., to finish within budget, the anticipated timeframe and to an acceptable standard. While a few of my interviewees said that they sometimes ‘skipped’ the planning stage (engaging in what one interviewee called “spontaneous DIY”), most were happy to spend time discussing and/or working out the logistics of their projects before they started the work. Jack, for example, told me that he often spent months working out the technical specifications of a job before beginning, especially when he was about to attempt an unfamiliar task for the very first time. He pointed out that because there was usually ‘no-rush’ to get DIY projects started, unless it was an urgent repair or when a firm deadline had been set by his wife, then it made sense to take time to prepare, and that it was during this period of planning and research that his excitement for the project really began to build.

Glen, who defined himself as a “pretty conscientious and keen planner”, noted that he had learned from past errors that preparatory work was not only enjoyable but also wise given the amateurish nature of DIY and, therefore, the real possibility of things going wrong, which might result in what he (and many other interviewees) referred to as a “DIY disaster”:

43

As noted in the literature review, from an historical perspective, Browne (2000) and McElroy (2006) have also commented on the teamwork evident among couples during the doing of DIY (albeit set around gender specific roles).

119

I’m quite happy not to rush straight into a project although I have been guilty of that in the past and that’s wasted a lot of time and money ... there’s usually always a period of preparation and that’ll usually involve my wife feeding me with ideas and me working out how to actually make them into a reality ... and something she’ll be happy with ... and I enjoy all that stuff like consulting with people to get the best advice and mapping out the project, you know, getting all the bits and pieces right and thinking about different ways to do the same thing and the best way to go about it. And I’ve learnt my lesson in the past ... when you don’t plan, things inevitably go pear-shaped, the classic DIY disaster, and that’s when I get in trouble with the Mrs and it’s just not worth it, trust me! And it’s DIY remember so you’re not expected to be a pro, you can’t just jump into a project and expect it to all go well all the time (Glen).