Nick Knowles reveals the worst DIY disaster he's ever seen – and it sounds awful!

Nick Knowles has undoubtedly seen a fair few DIY disasters in his time – both in his previous life as a builder and now as a TV presenter. But what tops them all? Well, the DIY SOS presenter has revealed all ahead of his appearance at this year's Ideal Home Show, where he'll be dishing out some essential expert advice so we can avoid doing the same.

Related: Linda Barker's Yorkshire home is on the market for £475,000 and it's BEAUTIFUL!

But first, he told us the most common DIY mistake he sees – how many of you are guilty of this one?

'It has to be pulling a kitchen out without knowing how to put one back in,' Nick says. 'I have seen families go years without a kitchen as a result.'

Nick also confesses to his own DIY mishap. 'When I was 15, I painted a wall standing on an ironing board,' he says. 'When it collapsed, I was amazed to find the pot of paint in my hand, nothing spilt and a perfect stripe down the wall.' Talk about a stroke of luck...

You might also be surprised to learn that Nick can't put together flat-pack furniture. 'My family laughs about it! It's mainly because I don’t have the patience and can’t read the instructions properly, but I could build you a house.'

So what of that total disaster? It's a biggie! 'Somebody once tried to turn a bedroom into two bedrooms for his twin daughters,' Nick tells us. 'He did this by putting a garden fence through the middle of it.' Now we've heard of a feature wall but that's on another level!

Nick Knowles' DIY and decorating tips

1. Never attempt any DIY involving electrics

'You need to be qualified and the work needs to be certified.'

2. Learn how to use builder's caulk

'It fills any slight gaps that look unprofessional and you can paint over it.'

3. Get your lighting right

'People don’t put enough thought into internal lighting when they design a home. As a nation, we are obsessed with down lighters, and they can make a house really dull and there are so many better options nowadays.'

4. Embrace technology in the home

'I’m away a lot, so I use Hive. When I’m travelling home, I can turn on my heating and hot water so everything’s warm and cosy when I get in.'

5. Invest in your furniture

'The best thing I've ever bought from my home is a rocking-chair made by a blacksmith in Devon. It’s both lovely to sit on and it’s also a piece of art to talk about. I bought it about 20 years ago – it’s been in my bedroom, living room and it’s now in my garden. I love it.'

More advice from our fave TV stars: Martin Roberts reveals his top tips on how to buy a house at auction

The Ideal Home Show will be held at Olympia London from Friday 22 March to Sunday 7 April 2019. Nick Knowles is hosting Q&As on stage throughout the week.