Plan a DIY home project from tools to finish
A step-by-step plan for a DIY project with materials list, skill check, safety gear, and when to call a pro.
The prompt
Help me plan a DIY project before I start.
Project: [e.g. "paint my bedroom", "install floating shelves", "tile a backsplash", "build a raised planter"]
Space and measurements: [DIMENSIONS, wall type if known - drywall, plaster, brick]
My skill level and tools: [WHAT YOU'VE DONE BEFORE, TOOLS YOU OWN]
Budget and timeline: [AMOUNT, e.g. "one weekend"]
Renting or own: [if renting, note any landlord rules]
Give me:
1. A go / caution / call-a-pro verdict for my skill level. Anything involving electrical wiring, gas lines, structural changes, or major plumbing: tell me to use a licensed professional and check whether a permit is needed.
2. A materials list with quantities calculated from my measurements, plus about 10% extra where it applies, and a tools list (own / buy / borrow or rent).
3. Step-by-step instructions grouped into work sessions, with drying or curing times built in.
4. Safety: required protective gear, ladder safety, finding studs and checking for hidden pipes or wires before drilling, and testing for lead before sanding paint in homes built before 1978.
5. The most common mistakes on this project and how to avoid them.
6. How to know each stage is done right before moving on.
Don't invent product-specific specs; tell me what to check on the packaging instead.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Personal Life & Wellbeing prompts
What to fill in
- DIMENSIONS, wall type if known - drywall, plaster, brick
- WHAT YOU'VE DONE BEFORE, TOOLS YOU OWN
- AMOUNT, e.g. "one weekend"
- if renting, note any landlord rules
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the Few-Shot structure (Few-shot prompting). A few-shot prompt includes one or more worked examples of the input and the output you want, so the model can copy the pattern instead of guessing it.
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