We love a bit of a fixer-upper, don’t we? It’s a great way of having a foundation already set out, but while having enough scope to add our own personal touches, whether it’s a used car or a house in need of some TLC. In fact, Brits redecorate their homes approximately 36 times in their lifetime, which each project taking around 18 days to complete. That’s some serious money being spent on our homes; the Office for National Statistics reported that the UK spends, in total, around £30 billion on home improvement projects every year. That averages out at over £43 million per week!
But, is business really flourishing for the construction industry in line with this? Not necessarily; many people are opting to go down the DIY router rather than enlisting a professional for the project. Potentially, this could be hindering the construction sector rather than helping it. Access platforms supplier NiftyLift investigates the current situation.
Do it yourself?
The average Brit spends around £1,085 on DIY improvements. Furthermore, 15% of Brits attempt all DIY tasks themselves, whilst DIY stores have seen an increase of around 42% in sales for DIY products. This could be down to the fact that less than one in ten home owners currently consider their home to be perfect, with 55% saying they have a long to-do list of improvements and changes they would like to get done.
And it’s certainly not just a stereotypical man’s job. The Telegraph reported a rise in the female DIYer. 70% of women said they are happy to do DIY around the house, and 77% said they would happily strip a room of wallpaper without asking for any help. Furthermore, in a B&Q survey, three-quarters of women believe themselves to be just as competent at basic DIY skills as any man — and of the 60% of women who are currently in a relationship, 35% say that they do more home improvements around the house than their partners.
The list of most-wanted home improvement DIY jobs are:
· Installing a new kitchen
· Installing a new bathroom
· Laying new carpet
· Painting walls
· Building an extension
The most easily achieved DIY tasks are actually among the most outstanding jobs in the British home: painting and wallpapering, buying new furniture, and laying decking or a patio in the garden.
You get what you pay for
Our enthusiasm for DIY doesn’t always last, however, as 82% of Brit tend to neglect tarting their DIY projects for around 26 days. 10% will delay DIY tasks for more than three months — can you afford to wait that long? Many home owners believe that a lack of time is stopping them from getting everything done in their homes. In fact, three quarters worry that they are never going to get their homes to a point where they are completely happy with them because of a lack of time, money and know-how.
Though admitting to lacking the necessary know-how, only 16% of people hire a professional for all their home improvement tasks. Decorating appears to be one of the most common jobs that people hire a professional for; more than a fifth call in a professional to put wallpaper up, while another 15% get decorators in instead of undertaking a paint-job themselves.
Builders, plumbers, carpenters, the trusty ‘sparkie’ electrician, decorators, engineers, surveyors, architects — the construction industry is made up of so many skilled professionals. 23% of home owners believe their home requires mainly major work to make their home perfect, suggesting that a professional is needed — and figures agree, with 28% saying a professional is needed to do the work that they want to do. Maybe DIY has its limitations?
Recent reports seem to acknowledge this. Some studies have revealed that DIY is actually on the decline — good news for the construction industry. And this could be down to a change in attitudes throughout generations. Over 50s seem to have no problems with trying DIY work in the home to save money and achieve something themselves. However, only 1% of the younger generation, 25-35 year olds, would try and do the work themselves, meaning 99% of them would rather hire a professional.
