Whether it’s changing the engine oil, putting up shelves or fixing a leaky tap, we simply love DIY, spending about £16 billion a year on materials and hardware to help us carry out repairs and odd jobs around the house. Maybe it’s because too many of us have suffered at the hands of Bob the Bodger and his mates wreaking expensive havoc on our cars and houses that we always think we can do better. “How hard can it be?” should become our national slogan.

According to the Office for National Statistics, we spend nearly 20 minutes every day of our lives carrying out repairs or pottering about in the garden. The good news for all you fixit fanatics is that there is an impressive library of DIY advice available online to help satisfy your practical cravings.

But if things go pear-shaped and you need to call in the cavalry — as often happens, let’s face it — there are also sites to help you find recommended trained professionals. So go forth and mend.

SPANNER IN THE WORKS

Fed up with dodgy garage mechanics discovering “faults” with your car that you never knew existed? Don’t know the difference between your sump plug and your big end? Then it’s time to get car savvy. A lot of basic car maintenance jobs can be done at home and there are plenty of websites willing to show you how.

For example, DIYFixIt’s (www.diyfixit.co.uk/motor ) motoring section includes a comprehensive alphabetical list of “how to” topics, from brake discs to shock absorbers. There are helpful photos to show you exactly what they’re talking about.

For the renovation fan, Old Classic Car ( www.oldclassiccar.co.uk ) can help you to source spare parts, and there is plenty of advice in its busy member forums. And if you really want to get your hands dirty, consider buying the Become a Mechanic (www.becomeamechanic.co.uk ) e-book for £23 including delivery.

DON’T TELL ME HOW TO MEND A PLUG

The first thing to say about tackling electrics is that getting it wrong can have fatal consequences, so you’d better know what you’re doing. Under new legislation, electrical work done in the kitchen or bathroom needs to be certified by the local authority building control department. You may have trouble selling your property if you can’t show buyers the right certificates.

That said, Ultimate Handyman ( www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk ) is thorough in its approach to safety, with sensible advice on earthing and bonding, for example. The photos and graphics are particularly good and the range of topics covers most simple household jobs.

DIYNot (www.diynot.com ) gives straightforward tutorials on how to do basic work, such as installing a power socket or light switch, and rates each job for difficulty and cost. If you get stuck or need specific advice, DIY Doctor (www.diydoctor.org.uk ) has an e-mail “ask an expert” service. Priceless when the lights go out and the television dies after your meddling.

TROUBLE WITH WATERWORKS?

If your pipes spring a leak in the night you don’t want to wait for an expensive emergency plumber to turn up. Knowing how to turn off the mains supply and make an emergency pipe repair is a household must.

The HouseProfessionals (www.houseprofessionals.com ) website is excellent for such basics, offering straightforward advice. For a more comprehensive approach to household plumbing, including listing the relative merits of different types of boiler, for example, Plumbing Pages (www.plumbingpages.com ) is the place to go. You could probably install your entire central heating system (apart from connecting up the gas, which only qualified installers are allowed to do) using this website.

If you just want to know how to unblock a toilet or sink, VideoJug’s (www.videojug.com ) short “how to” videos are refreshingly practical.

LEFT ON THE SHELF?

In my experience, a carpenter who says “I can pop round tomorrow” is as rare as hen’s teeth. So rather than watch your clothes pile up as you wait for that fitted wardrobe to be made, learn a few tricks of the trade and get sawing.

For beautifully presented furniture plans and step-by-step instructions that you can download in PDF format consider joining Fine Woodworking (www.finewoodworking.com ), an American site that charges $34.95 (£17.80) for annual membership. You gain access to interactive tutorials, tool-buying guides and one-on-one help in the “ask the experts” section.

Less accomplished amateur carpenters should visit practicalDIY (www.practicaldiy.com ), which shows you how to put up dado rails and fit mortise locks, for example.

The website of the UKTV channel (www.uktv.co.uk ) combines illustrated step-by-step guides to repairing window sills and laying laminate floors with a raft of video tutorials.

CROSSED WIRES?

Be honest now. How much time have you wasted trying to make your digital gadgets work without bothering to look at the manuals? Yup, me too.

Uncooperative wireless networks, unreliable set-top boxes and sluggish computers can make the smoothly functioning digital home seem as elusive as an England victory. We need help. High-tech review site CNET (www.cnet.co.uk ) has an excellent “digital living” section with all manner of practical features, including how to set up a wireless network securely and how to set up your own home theatre.

CNET editors answer questions and you’ll find tips in the reader forums.

To find out what digital television services are available in your area, the Digital TV Group’s (www.dtg.org.uk ) postcode checker is useful, as is its “connection wizard” that shows you how to link up all your digital TVboxes. PC World’s support section (http://support.pcworld.co.uk tells you how to speed up your computer’s boot-up time, among other essentials. Then visit www.timesonline.co.uk/ingear to gen up on the hottest kit.

DON’T DO-IT-YOURSELF

It takes humility to admit when we’ve messed up, especially for men doing DIY. It’s like barbecues — just something we’re meant to be able to do.

Sadly, this is often preposterous fantasy and there comes a time to admit defeat. But to avoid making things worse at least find a competent professional using a site such as HomePro (www.homepro.com ). Enter your postcode plus the profession you’re looking for and up pops a list of people rated by customers and checked out for financial soundness.

Rated Tradesmen (www.ratedtradesmen.com ) does something similar, and Find a Builder (www.findabuilder.co.uk ) locates members of the Federation of Master Builders. Sometimes it pays to have a job done properly.