What 'daft' DIY error have you made (with amusing outcome, rather than disastrous!)

[Time Waster]

Oh a latest project was finishing off the hatch to the loft. The installers put a new one in to code and never came back to finish the surrounds (architraves IIRC). The argument being the ceiling needed a plasterer to make good around it first. So I had to do it. I bought a mitre boix to use with a mitre saw I had. Only when it arrived it was too small to use. Well B&Q site is not clear on the size was my excuse.

Anyway as it turns out the opening was not 100% square anyway so I measured it all out and marked the wooden profiled architraves out then cut by freehand. I measured 20 times and cut once I was so paranoid of messing up. Plus I really wanted to do a good job.

It all went up, the architrave mastic / glue bought was not strong enough to hold it, guess the wood was bowed out. Anyway I got some long enough panel pins and they seemed to hold then well enough and the pin heads disappeared into the wood too so once painted you would never know. So job complete and I have still not painted it. i need to fill a mm or so gap in a few corners which is not bad really considering it was all measured and it was nowhere near square. Anyway it looks ok as it turns out. I am quite pleased with it and it will not show once sanded and painted.

So what is the issue? 6 months later I was looking in the top cupboard of the boiler cupboard for something so opened the door wide to let the light in to see properly. Clunk! The door hit the architrave. It only opens less than 90 degrees! Not my fault, it is the fact that the hatch was a lot larger than previously, to code apparently. Short of no architrave (that TBH was at most 19mm thick) I think it would always have caught like that. However you do not think when doing such a job. Perhaps I could have used something plain, flat and not profiled instead??

 

[Pat "5mph"]

In one location the central heating pipes were directly below the floor boards.

As a "I rather pay a work-person to do it", 60+ wee woman, even me I know there's a gizmo that sounds if there are pipes or wires behind something.
Actually, I'm pretty sure I have one in a cupboard, just in case a work-person needs it ...

 

[postman]

not an error as such.So today was a slow painting day,woodwork, white undercoat on white satinwood.Four doors, door frames,window sill,spindles skirting boards and stair treads.Well i began at 09-40 a break for lunch forty five mins,finished at 15-45 then up with dust sheets and a quick hoover up.Then a shave and shower.Now i normally drape my towel over the banister and let the sunshine from the window dry it,not today just painted it.So for the first time ever since 2007 when we had the upstairs extension put in bedroom a landing a storage cupboard banister and a shower room with a toilet and sink,i hung my heavy wet towel on the hook on the door,the friggin hook fell off.Friggin hollow door,was i mad you bet,i was tired it had been a long day,so moved the hook up i trifle and screwed it back.The towel is hanging on the painting step ladders.