The best deals in DIY

Every large DIY outlet and tiling store appears to be in a constant state of sale. The cunning art of retail can blow a fragile budget to pieces. With your measurements in hand and a firm ideal of colour if you’re buying paper, paints, tiling and accessories, don’t allow yourself to be distracted.

1 Never buy paint colour for large areas of wall without having first tested the product. Paint up a large piece of lining paper or the wall itself in varying aspects of the room and let it dry before judging its success. If you’re having paint mixed to a shade, this is especially important as few emulsions come in under €10 a litre. Tile stores will always let you have a tile or two to put in situation before deciding.

2 If a tool is on offer, ensure it’s not being phased out as its accessories then become a nerve-mincing nightmare to track down. The once highly celebrated Dulux Paint Pod for example, is a decorating dinosaur but now ultra cheap for the unwary. Unless you’re happy to throw down €50 for this clever paint pump and never use it again, walk away.