Polycell - Everybody's doing it

Meet our team of enthusiasts. They're not professional decorators, but like you, they've learnt a thing or two about DIY over the years. And you'll notice it's not just the blokes who are doing it. Through trial and error - and the use of some damn good products - they're here to share their knowledge (and smart shortcuts) with you.

Think of them as your handy neighbours, here to lend a helping hand and answer some of the more common, or more unusual, pre-decoration questions that you may have.

Likewise, if you have a top tip that you'd like to share or you think we're missing a trick on a product, feel free to email us. We'd love to hear from you.

Cherie, 28, is a business travel co-ordinator from Cardiff. She started dabbling in DIY from a very young age by following in the footsteps of her Dad, who's a plumber and kitchen fitter.

When she moved into her new family home last Spring whilst on maternity leave, Cherie tackled both the bathroom and the nursery single-handedly - neither of which were in a fit state for the new arrival. From tiling and grouting to filling and painting, Cherie will give anything a go, and confesses that it's very reassuring to have all the right products at hand, plus her Dad at the end of the phone if she needs him!

Louise, a Public Relations professional in her early 20s, recently moved into her first house where each room was in need of much more than just a lick of paint. As a novice DIYer, Louise was a little apprehensive about tackling all the problem walls at first, but says that consulting this website gave her the confidence she needed to give it a go.

Just three months after moving in, Louise now feels as though she can take on any DIY task that comes her way, and her next project is re-tiling her bathroom to give it a much more contemporary look. Not bad going for someone who once thought that DIY was for Dads!

Val, in her late 30s and from Berkshire, likes to dabble in a bit of DIY at the weekend - in fact, she finds it quite relaxing. She's married with a toddler - and as she moved into her current home before she became pregnant, she had plenty of time for pre-deco.

However, life after baby sees time being a little more precious, but as Val's husband doesn't much like DIY - he looks after baby while Val looks after the house.

Val has wallpapered the hallway, tiled the downstairs toilet, stained the radiator covers plus filled, sanded and painted just about every room in the house. And that's not to say her husband won't pick up a screwdriver, he just prefers taking care of the garden.

Lee, a 27-year-old clothes designer from Buckinghamshire is an enthusiastic DIYer. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for fashion, Lee likes his home to be as stylish as the contents of his wardrobe. To keep up with trends, Lee redecorates his living room frequently, so the constant moving of shelving units and updating of curtain fittings means he’s become quite nifty with a toolkit.

Currently about to move into his dream home (which needs a lot of work!) Lee is striving to achieve the perfect finish, as nothing else will do!

Khalil is an experienced DIYer, who lives with his wife and four children in Hertfordshire.

He got the bug for home improvement when he bought his house way back in the 70's. He loved it so much that he started to working for Polycell, developing new products and advising consumers on how to use them.

He is now a senior member of Polycell research and development team and we have him to thank for the latest new product launches such as the range of new easy-to-use fillers.

When he's not at work or running around after his four kids, you'll find him searching his home for ways in which to further experiment with the Polycell portfolio – from treating and tiling to stripping and sealing – you name it, he's done it!