Bank holidays promise DIY ambition. Reality often delivers half-painted rooms and flat-pack disasters. Here are projects you can genuinely start and finish in a long weekend.
The Golden Rules
Before picking a project:
- Be realistic about your skills - Don't attempt your first tiling job in a visible room
- Get materials beforehand - No B&Q trips eating into your weekend
- Have a fallback - If it goes wrong, can you leave it safely until help arrives?
- Check the weather - For outdoor work, obviously
2-Hour Projects
Fit New Door Handles Throughout
Time: 2-3 hours for a typical house
What you need:
- Matching handle sets
- Screwdriver
- Drill (for adjustment if needed)
Impact: Surprisingly transformative. Mismatched or dated handles make the whole house look tired.
Install Coat Hooks in Hallway
Time: 1-2 hours
What you need:
- Hook rail or individual hooks
- Spirit level
- Drill, plugs, screws
Tip: A proper coat rail looks better than random individual hooks.
Upgrade Toilet Seats
Time: 30 minutes per toilet
Yes, really. A quality soft-close seat instantly makes a bathroom feel nicer. Easy DIY, surprisingly satisfying.
Half-Day Projects
Fit a Shelf System
Time: 3-4 hours
Options:
- Track and bracket system (adjustable, practical)
- Floating shelves (cleaner look)
- Ladder shelves (no wall damage)
Tips:
- Find studs where possible for heavy loads
- Use a spirit level obsessively
- Leave room for what you'll actually store
Install Smart Doorbell
Time: 2-3 hours including app setup
What you need:
- Smart doorbell (Ring, Nest, Eufy)
- Drill
- Power (battery or existing doorbell wiring)
Most are designed for DIY install. The wiring is low voltage, so safe to work with.
Create a Gallery Wall
Time: Half day for planning, layout, and hanging
Method:
- Lay frames on floor to plan arrangement
- Cut paper templates to frame sizes
- Tape templates to wall, step back, adjust
- Mark drill points through paper
- Remove paper, drill, insert fixings
- Hang frames
Much better results than eyeballing it.
Full-Day Projects
Paint a Room (Properly)
Time: Full day (prep, prime, two coats)
What makes it achievable:
- Empty room or minimal furniture
- Preparation done the day before
- Good quality paint (fewer coats needed)
- Cutting in before rolling
Order:
- Ceiling first (if painting it)
- Cut in edges and corners
- Roll main walls
- Second coat 4 hours later
- Touch up next morning
Assemble Flat-Pack Wardrobe
Time: 4-6 hours for a large wardrobe
Realistic for one day if:
- You've read the instructions
- Room is clear and clean
- You have the right tools
- Someone can help with heavy panels
Not realistic: Multiple IKEA PAX units with sliding doors. That's a two-day job minimum.
Create a Home Office Nook
Time: Full day
Include:
- Desk assembly
- Monitor arm installation
- Cable management
- Adequate lighting
- Power/USB hub
Satisfying because it's usable immediately.
Two-Day Projects
Fit New Internal Doors
Time: 1-2 hours per door once you've done one
Day 1: Remove old doors, check frames, plane new doors to fit Day 2: Fit hinges, hang doors, fit handles, adjust
Tip: Internal doors often need trimming. A circular saw or hand plane is essential.
Tile a Splashback
Time: Day 1 prep and tiling, Day 2 grouting
Achievable for beginners if:
- Area is small (behind hob/sink only)
- Tiles are straightforward (subway tiles, nothing mosaic)
- You can live with minor imperfections
Build Raised Garden Beds
Time: Full weekend
Day 1: Build frames, position, level Day 2: Line, fill with soil, plant
Simple construction with visible results. Even basic timber beds look good.
Projects That Look Quicker Than They Are
Anything Involving Plaster
Patching is quick. Skimming a whole wall is not. And getting it smooth takes practice.
"Quick" Bathroom Refresh
Resealing, painting ceiling, new accessories - individually quick. All together? Longer than you think.
Garden Decking
Even a small deck is a multi-weekend project once you factor in groundwork, frame building, and finishing.
Kitchen Cupboard Painting
Proper prep (cleaning, sanding, priming) takes longer than the painting. And you need to work in sections while the kitchen stays usable.
The Honest Test
Before committing, ask:
- Can I use the room/item if I don't finish? (Painted room with wet walls = problem)
- Do I have ALL the materials? (One missing thing = trip to Screwfix)
- What's my Plan B? (Can I call someone Tuesday if it's a disaster?)
- Is the weather right? (Painting in rain, working outside in a heatwave)
- Am I doing this because I want to, or to avoid paying someone?
The last one matters. If you'd rather be doing something else, pay a professional. Your bank holiday is worth something too.
My Favourite Quick Wins
Things that take under an hour but make a real difference:
- ✅ New switches and sockets (if confident with electrics)
- ✅ Soft-close hinges on kitchen cupboards
- ✅ Draught excluders on external doors
- ✅ LED bulbs throughout
- ✅ Door stop bumpers to protect walls
- ✅ Adhesive cable management
Project bigger than a weekend? Or just want your bank holiday back? I'm happy to take on projects you'd rather not. Call 01392 964094 or get a quote.
Sam Hembury
Sam is the founder of Hembury Contracting, providing professional handyman services across Exeter and Devon. With years of experience in property maintenance, he shares practical tips to help homeowners tackle common tasks.
