When weekend projects go dangerously wrong
What started as an ordinary trip to Mitre 10 ended in alarm when a staff member encountered a customer with highly questionable DIY ambitions. The encounter—equal parts comedy and concern—has since become a reminder of how overconfident amateur renovations can spiral into serious safety risks.
Cameron Ramsey-Matthews, a retail employee at the hardware chain, said he was left “pretty rattled” after a chat with Coen Gibson, a local accountant. Gibson shared his plans to remove a window at home—backed up by photos—and it quickly became clear that the job might be too much for a weekend warrior.
A ladder setup no tradie would touch
According to Ramsey-Matthews, the most alarming part was Gibson’s ladder technique. “He showed me a photo of the window he’s trying to take out and how he’s accessing it,” he said. “I was blown away.” The ladder was set at a dangerously steep angle, with no proper anchoring and placed in a precarious position.
“He thought it was totally normal,” Ramsey-Matthews laughed, though the concern in his voice was clear. “Aside from the positioning, he’s not the lightest fella…”
Despite clear OH&S concerns, Gibson remained unfazed. “Anyway, he just ran me through what he’s trying to do and it left me rattled,” Ramsey-Matthews added. He then tried to explain that structural tasks like window removal require professional training, likening it to the accountant’s own university education.
Confidence without competence
“I told him that tradesmen spend years training to do this stuff safely,” said Ramsey-Matthews. “But he wasn’t having any of it.” With Gibson showing no signs of reconsideration, Ramsey-Matthews even considered filing a report for the man’s own safety.
“I just feel like I should report him—honestly.” Gibson, however, shrugged off the concern with classic Aussie bravado: “Not like we’re doing rocket surgery here. She’ll be right.”
The DIY spirit—sometimes a little too spirited
While Australia is known for its can-do DIY culture, this story shows how quickly enthusiasm can outpace safety. In an era of YouTube tutorials and renovation shows, many feel empowered to take on jobs best left to licensed professionals.
From rewiring to structural demolition, the line between handyman know-how and hazard can blur fast. “She’ll be right” might work for painting a fence—but it doesn’t fly when it involves unstable ladders, glass windows, and untrained hands.
A cautionary tale for the tool-happy
Thankfully, no injuries occurred—yet. But this hardware store horror story has started an important conversation online. Some cheered on Gibson’s “have-a-go” attitude, while many sympathized with Ramsey-Matthews, calling for more public awareness around safe home repairs.
In the end, the tale serves as a humorous—but serious—reminder: if you wouldn’t perform “rocket surgery,” maybe don’t remove a window at height with a ladder that looks like a see-saw.
Before you climb up with tools in hand, ask yourself: “Should I actually be doing this?”
