Helping European homeowners fix anything, in their own language
FixStepByStep is an independent, ad-supported DIY library built specifically for European homes. We publish detailed step-by-step repair guides, fully translated into 8 languages, so anyone can confidently take on small home projects without paying for tradespeople.
Who we are
FixStepByStep was founded by a small team of DIY enthusiasts and former tradespeople based in the European Union. Between us we've spent more than 30 years on building sites, in workshops and on weekend home projects, and we kept hearing the same complaint from friends and family: every online guide either assumed you already knew everything or was clearly written for a different country with different tools, materials and electrical standards.
So we set out to write the guide library we wished existed. Metric-first, EU-standard, illustrated, safety-aware, and fully translated into the major European languages so a Portuguese pensioner, a Dutch student and a Turkish parent all get the exact same quality of advice.
Our mission
We exist to make safe, confident DIY accessible to everyone in Europe. Regardless of budget, language or prior experience. Every guide on the site is free to read, free to print, and free to share. We make money from contextual advertising and (in the future) carefully selected affiliate links, never from gating content behind a paywall.
How we write our guides
Every guide on FixStepByStep follows the same five-step editorial workflow before it goes live:
- Topic research: We track what real Europeans search for, then pick topics where the existing online advice is poor, fragmented or unsafe.
- Drafting: Each guide starts as a structured outline, tools, safety, ordered steps, FAQs, then is filled in with practical detail by an editor who has done the job at least once.
- Safety review: Every draft is reviewed against EU safety norms (electrical 230V/50Hz, plumbing standards, gas safety) and flagged for any task that should be left to a certified professional.
- Translation & local adaptation: Guides are translated into 7 additional languages with local adaptation: Dutch winters, Mediterranean tiling, Turkish apartment buildings. Units, materials and tool names all get localised.
- Continuous updates: Reader comments, new product launches and changing regulations all feed back into the guide. We mark every page with a 'last updated' date so you know what you're reading is current.
Safety and trust
DIY work has real risks. We are upfront about that on every guide: anything involving fixed electrical wiring, gas, structural changes, asbestos or working at height should be checked or carried out by a qualified professional. Our guides cover what a reasonably capable adult can do safely with consumer tools, nothing more.
We never promise a project will be 'easy' if it isn't. We rate every guide on a five-step difficulty scale, list the exact tools you need, give realistic time estimates and call out the failure points that catch people out the first time.
Available in 8 languages
All 150+ guides are available in English, Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish and German. Each translation is a proper localisation, not a machine dump. Units, slang and local product names are adapted so the guide reads naturally in your country.
Get in touch
Spotted an error in a guide? Want to suggest a topic? Or you're a manufacturer who'd like to collaborate on tested content? We'd love to hear from you. Email is the fastest route. We read every message personally.