Home Design - Vol. 18 No. 4

OPINION
IT MUST BE OBVIOUS BY
NOW — DIY TV TRULY
IRKS ME. I CAN’T HELP
WORRYING THAT “REALITY”
TV VALIDATES A BELIEF
THAT ANYONE CAN DESIGN
AND BUILD WITH LIMITED
TIME AND LIMITED EFFORT
DIY-PHOBIA
Brush off the gloss and go behind the scenes
to see the “real” reality of DIY TV
Words Vanessa Couzens
Alas — it has become impossible
for me to turn on the TV. No, I
don’t have RSI. Nor have I lost my
limbs in a tragic accident. My sadly
neglected remote gathers dust due to a growing
malaise, which I recently discovered has an
actual name — technophobia! An abnormal
fear of, or effect of, technology. In my case, the
abnormal fear relates to the proliferation of DIY
renovation programs.
Turn on a TV, be it free to air or pay, and it’s
a sure bet you can find a renovation show of
some description on offer. The more sensational
are populated with a cast of carefully selected
character types whose renovation journey is
deliberately imbued with as much manufactured
drama as possible. I can’t help thinking that if
this is “reality”, perhaps we need to redefine
what fiction is?
Could DIY TV of the 21st century be the
brand new replacement for conventional
religion? I certainly know people who watch
these shows religiously. If the Christian God
could create the world in six days, then surely
a renovation can be miraculously completed
within the same period? But wait! Why not
in just a day? Somehow, I think this is not
very likely.
The more likely story is this: Somewhere
behind that sparkly, shiny new “aspirational
lifestyle” remodel or new build (all of which
was completed in “record” time) lurked an
actual qualified consulting designer. Shocking,
I know, but the TV editors conveniently left that
part out in the background story.
That architect or interior designer most
likely spent years in higher education and
up to decades in professional practice honing
their skills and knowledge — all for the
pleasure of no acknowledgement or a flattering
reference in the fine print flashed on screen for
a nanosecond.
Mind you, these designers didn’t work
alone. They had other experts on board such as
surveyors, engineers, planning and certification
professionals and licensed, experienced builders.
Knocking a few holes through the walls to
that new alfresco space was actually carefully
documented and approved through local
authorities. The fab lighting scheme and its
associated wiring, spectacular lifestyle bathroom
and its plumbing, feature staircase and its
refined classy balustrade were just some of the
details that were carefully designed and checked
to comply with the National Construction Code
and associated Australian Standards. Yes, there
are actual laws that have to be obeyed when you
build something.
Sorry, but now it’s reality check time. This
whole behind-the-scenes process actually took
months. Oops, do I hear jeering from the back
row filled with TV executives? I apologise for
the nasty designer standing up for her profession
and brutally crushing your fragile constructs.
It must be obvious by now — DIY TV truly
irks me. I can feel my blood pressure rising just
writing about it.
I can’t help worrying that reality TV validates
a belief that anyone can design and build with
limited time and limited effort. Why do so
many programs gloss over the simple fact that
building or renovating a home is actually
a complicated process? I use the word “process”
quite deliberately, as designing and building
requires the completion of a whole series of
actions or steps to achieve the desired outcome
— a space that is a pleasure to inhabit and one
that is safe and without risk.
The amateur renovator won’t have
comprehensive knowledge about the pitfalls of
building and renovating and the steps that need
to be followed for it to be a success. And it is
not an urban myth when you hear stories about
how the local council made the neighbours
down the road demolish or rip out noncompliant
building work.
Wonder why your insurance premiums have
suddenly gone through the roof? It could be
that little incident of being sued by a visitor
who slipped and broke a bone on your lovely
new slippery bathroom floor tiles that were
never tested for compliance with Australian slip
ratings. That saving of a few bucks by skimping
on getting professional advice could become
one of the most costly of your life.
You could be a cynic and interpret my rant
as simply sour grapes that as a designer, I’m
being passed over for jobs. However, the
truth is if you ask just about any designer, we
genuinely care about how people experience
the spaces around them. We are wired this way
because this is the message we learn from day
one of our design studies. When we say we’re
passionate about good sustainable design, we
mean it. Even better, we actually know how to
implement it. So watch your DIY TV and dream
about the possibilities available to you. Just be
realistic and invest in your dream by employing
a professional to help you achieve it. In the
long run, their input will not only fulfil your
aspirations, they will also ultimately save
you money. HD
52 | HOME DESIGN