More than 430 million DIY jobs currently need attention in homes across the UK, according to a new study of attitudes towards DIY.
Tool supplier Draper Tools polled 2,000 people on their willingness to perform DIY tasks, with 59% of respondents admitting to having an “I’ll do it tomorrow” attitude towards home improvements.
Painting walls in the most common DIY job on the UK’s to-do list, closely followed by putting up shelves and wallpapering. Other nagging jobs included changing light bulbs and fixing broken toilets.
An alternative theory to why 44% started a task only to leave it half-finished could be because respondents discovered midway through that they did not own the required tools or have the skills to complete the job.
Clive Richardson, marketing director at Draper Tools, said: “Motivating yourself to get jobs done or finding the time to do them isn’t easy – especially when there are so many tasks on our to-do lists.
“The key is to focus on one thing at a time and gradually chip away at your to-do lists, otherwise the mounting number of DIY jobs can become overwhelming.”
DIY: When to Hire a Professional
For self builders and renovators, choosing to go it alone on DIY can eliminate costs you would otherwise pay for labour, which research by Homebuilding & Renovating shows typically accounts for between 45-60% of total costs.
(MORE: Self Build: All You Need to Know About Building a Bespoke Home)
Not only can DIY help to cut costs on a building project, it can also end up adding overall value to the property.
But many choose to hire professionals for renovations or home improvements, with more than half of people avoiding DIY tasks, according to a survey last year from Moneysupermarket.
And a lack of knowledge or tools could be salient: around 92% of Brits can only name four out of 15 DIY tools, according to another survey from MyJobQuote.co.uk.
It’s important to only commit to DIY projects you are confident and experienced in, and know what to leave to the professionals. Tradespeople are professionals who have learnt their trade and/or have learned on the job over a long period of time and and while taking on some tasks will save money, there are others which done yourself could cost you more to put right.