Shortages of skilled tradespeople in the UK are becoming more widespread – and a recent study of 1,092 UK homeowners by Markel Direct, the specialist insurer of tradespeople, has revealed the DIY jobs homeowners in the UK are happy to try their hand at, as well as the most common DIY disasters that resulted in having to call a professional to fix.
Roof repairs were named as the number one job homeowners do not feel comfortable tackling themselves, with almost a third (31.3%) of respondents highlighting it.
Next was asbestos removal, which 30.5% stated as a job they wouldn’t do – unsurprising, given the danger if handled incorrectly – and the third highest task UK homeowners wouldn’t attempt is boiler/gas maintenance and rewiring, which 30.4% selected.
Interestingly, painting and decorating features as the seventh highest-rated job homeowners wouldn’t attempt on their own, with 28.9% of people choosing this, despite being a DIY staple for many people.
The 15 DIY jobs UK homeowners wouldn’t attempt
Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) of homeowners said they don’t feel comfortable tackling any home improvements or repairs at all – with over 8 in 10 not willing to attempt some DIY jobs for fear of making the issue worse, and nearly 6 in 10 avoiding these tasks due to the fear of injuring themselves.
The study also explored homeowners’ experience of hiring a tradesperson. 46% of respondents had struggled to hire a tradesperson for their repair or renovation project, with the most cited reasons being lack of availability (46%) and shortage of trade in area (34%).
28% have tried and failed to do jobs, resulting in bringing in the professionals instead
The survey also revealed that over a quarter (28%) have started a job but needed to call in professional help to take over or rectify mistakes. And the most popular one homeowners need assistance for is plumbing repairs and maintenance.
However, mistakes are not the top reason homeowners gave for wanting to hire a professional. The majority (86%) would choose to go for a professional due to the quality and guarantees they come with, lessening the risk of doing it themselves.
Rob Rees, Divisional Director at Markel Direct, said: “Whilst it can be tempting to attempt repairs or DIY tasks yourself, the risk of getting something wrong could result in only more problems to fix. Hiring an accredited and insured tradesperson with years of experience will ensure the job is done to a high standard and, most importantly, safely.”