Learning from scratch. What's the best way?

[Ron2710]

Hi All,

So I live with my family and am to buy my own house soon probably in the next few months. For the past 6 months or so I have been heavily interested in home renovation and DIY type work in preparation for my new house.

The problem is that I have zero experience. When I mean zero, i mean zero lol. I want to start practicing and learning in the best way possible fitting to my lifestyle. I should also mention that I am an accountant, so just looking to this as a hobby.

I work Monday to Friday and so weekdays are not the best for me.

Ideally, I would love to take part in some weekend workshops for absolute beginners, or even shadow and help out on work projects (possibly charity ones, as I can imaging I won't be allowed on site in a professional setting?) as I believe learning on the job is the quickest way to learn. However, I cannot find anything of the sort on google. DO you think if I call up a plumbing agency and volunteer I could get some work out of it that way? For those in the profession do you accept volunteers on site?

The other route I was thinking of is evening/weekend beginner courses, where I learn the theory. How useful do you think these are? Is it worth the money?

Also I know this is a plumbing site, but if there are volunteering opportunities which gives an all rounder, including for example electrical works and tiling and gutting and rebuilding, painting etc would be amazing. I'm probably dreaming a bit there haha.

Thanks,

 

[Chuck]

The problem is that I have zero experience. When I mean zero, i mean zero lol. I want to start practicing and learning in the best way possible fitting to my lifestyle. I should also mention that I am an accountant, so just looking to this as a hobby.

Arround here accountants charge appoximately six-times per hour what plumbers do. So, you'd be better off doing a bit more accountancy in your spare time and employing somebody who is already competent.

DO you think if I call up a plumbing agency and volunteer I could get some work out of it that way? For those in the profession do you accept volunteers on site?

No.

The other route I was thinking of is evening/weekend beginner courses, where I learn the theory. How useful do you think these are? Is it worth the money?

Check with your local FE college or Google 'DIY Plumbing Courses in West London'. Plenty of places offer weekend courses.

Actually, I've always fancied becoming a part-time accountant. May I volunteer at your office and try my hand at offering investment and tax advice to your clients? I figure that it can't be that difficult and if I make any mistakes you and/or your insurance can cover them.

 

[centralheatking]

Anyway, doing what you say is mostly about you. If you are not practical, don’t like getting dirty
Clearing up mess not physically fit ..don’t mean gym fit but able to deliver over 8 hours then it’s not for you. Let us know Centralheatking

 

[Ron2710]

Arround here accountants charge appoximately six-times per hour what plumbers do. So, you'd be better off doing a bit more accountancy in your spare time and employing somebody who is already competent.

That might make logical financial sense, but I specifically said I was doing this as a hobby. I would like to build up my competence at least to a level where I'm not useless lol.

No.

Cool

Check with your local FE college or Google 'DIY Plumbing Courses in West London'. Plenty of places offer weekend courses.

Yeh I've seen a few now on Google, just wanted to know if they were worth the money if there was any other more effective route.

Actually, I've always fancied becoming a part-time accountant. May I volunteer at your office and try my hand at offering investment and tax advice to your clients? I figure that it can't be that difficult and if I make any mistakes you and/or your insurance can cover them.

Yes you can actually. However you will be given the most basic bookkeeping/admin tasks so you will not be giving out any advice at all. Any decent company will have a strong review/control process so even if you do screw up, it will not have passed through the several layers of review. So that is why I mentioned if shadowing a plumber or helping out is plausible. Even if just handing tools over and observing, I will learn something.

Thanks for you help.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Tbh these days for diy tasks have a look a u tube eg plumber parts and buy aload of comp fitting and tube and start making things up etc then move onto soldering

 

[Ron2710]

Anyway, doing what you say is mostly about you. If you are not practical, don’t like getting dirty
Clearing up mess not physically fit ..don’t mean gym fit but able to deliver over 8 hours then it’s not for you. Let us know Centralheatking

I would say I am practical minded and don't mind getting dirty. It's just that I never had the opportunity to do it. Once I get my house in a few months, I will be able to experiment and learn more. However even then I am limited to the problems that arise in my house. I want more exposure hence why I raised this thread.

I don't desire to deliver 8 hours of work a day, as I said this is just a hobby, I am not looking to get into it as a profession.

Obviously I will not get to a professional level, however I am hoping to get to a level where I am fairly competent!

Thanks

 

[king of pipes]

Try your local technical college they often offer short courses painting decorating, plastering , tiling , plumbing . Kop