Lockdown DIY gives Brits a new appreciation for tradespeople
21st Sep 2020
It’s no secret that during lockdown many people themselves kept busy with DIY projects and it seems that all the extra time spent on maintenance, repairs and renovations has led to a new found appreciation for tradespeople. According to new research from Draper Tools, 53% of Brits said their recent DIY efforts had given them a greater appreciation for the skills talented tradespeople have. And, more than 1 in 5 agreed that lockdown DIY had made them appreciate how hard tradespeople work too.
Jobs best left to the pros
The Draper Tools research polled 2,000 UK adults to uncover which DIY jobs the average person will take on and which they’ll leave to the experts and why. The study found two thirds of people have a DIY job they're too scared to do - with wall-mounting a TV, putting up a shelf and replacing a tap among the most fear inducing tasks.
In UK homes, the average person has four DIY jobs they're actively putting off. Having not done the task before is the most common reason for the apprehension - followed by concerns they’ll make the problem worse and not having the right tools. The research also found the mere thought of doing DIY would cause 71% of adults to break out in a sweat.
Commenting on the findings, Kev Smith, Head of Marketing at Draper Tools said:
“While it’s been great to hear about how the British public has embraced DIY and kept themselves busy over lockdown, it’s clear there are a few jobs that the average person is best to avoid and leave to the pros. Whether it’s tiling a crucial area of the home or putting up wallpaper – if you’re not confident, it’s always worth considering calling in a skilled tradesperson with the right expertise. It’s encouraging to see that many of the population agree with this and have developed a new found respect for the hard work that the UK’s tradespeople do.”
Busy times for Britain’s tradespeople
The Draper Tools research found Brits would rather avoid tiling a kitchen or bathroom, plastering a wall, and laying decking. Changing a radiator, cleaning the gutter and fixing a leaky loo also gives them the shivers – and the same goes for fitting a carpet and laying a patio. And, perhaps these concerns are valid - when things go wrong they can be costly - with mishaps costing £130 to correct on average. A quarter of people even admitted they have injured themselves doing DIY because they weren't skilled or equipped enough to do it.
As a result, the UK’s tradespeople could be in for a busy time. Almost half of adults are considering calling in a tradesperson before Christmas in order to tackle a job – of which the typical adult currently has three DIY tasks which need doing. In fact, half of people have noticed work which needs doing around the home because they are spending more time there.
The kitchen is where the work is most likely needed, followed by the bathroom, bedroom, living room and garden. But typically those polled will ignore a job for more than eight weeks before finally doing something about it. It also emerged that if they do give home improvement a try themselves, assembling furniture is the task they have the biggest tendency to botch, followed by wallpapering, painting a wall and putting up a shelf.
Calling in a pro offers reassurance
There’s little doubt among the British public that when it’s an important DIY job, it’s worth spending the money on a professional, with 80% agreeing with this. 78% of adults also admitted that they like the reassurance of having a professional tradesperson looking after their DIY jobs.
When it comes to searching for expert help from the UK’s tradespeople, asking friends or family for a recommendation was the first place the majority of people will look, with 63% saying they’d do this. This was followed by a Google search, which almost a third of the population will use to look for a tradesperson. A further third of people said they turn to sites like Checkatrade and Rated People. Local papers and local Facebook groups were also found to be a popular place to search for a tradesperson.
What do you think?
Has doing extra DIY made you appreciate skilled tradespeople more? Let us know what you think in the comments or on social media. If you'd like to browse our range of tools for DIY jobs and professional trade use, take a look at our website.
