Don’t do it yourself

The British tradition of DIY could be waning, as more than half of all homeowners definitely don’t Do It Themselves, preferring instead to rely on partners, family members and hired tradespeople, according to research by Saga Home Insurance.

The data also revealed that a staggering one in four people have injured themselves whilst undertaking DIY (28 per cent), which may explain their reluctance to put up shelves, lay flooring or tile walls.

Almost one in three homeowners (29 per cent) enlist their long-suffering partners and spouses, who are expected to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in to home improvements and renovations, whilst a further one in five (19 per cent) prefer to pay ‘a man who can’ and call in the professionals. Parents are likely to be enlisted to help too, with one in three of those in their early twenties turning to them for DIY help in the house (29 per cent).

Other key facts about the nation’s DIY:

Men are the most accident-prone, being twice as likely as women to injure themselves (35 per cent vs 15 per cent respectively)

The worst offenders for getting someone else to do it are in the North East (35%), with the Welsh (55%) being the most eager to do it themselves

However the Welsh appear to be the clumsiest nation (35 per cent), followed closely by the South West (34%). However, ‘Not-So-Handy Andys’ in the North East (13%) are more likely to have an accident that requires hospital treatment, which could explain why they are more likely to rely on the professionals!

Experience clearly counts for a lot – nine in ten (90 per cent) of those aged 50+ have never had to call in a tradesman to correct their shoddy work, whereas only 63 per cent of those aged 18-24 could say the same!

Saga Home Insurance advises DIY enthusiasts to make sure they do not try any jobs unless they feel they can do them and to always take their time wearing suitable clothing and footwear. And finally check they have full accidental damage cover added to their buildings and contents insurance just in case they do make any mistakes!

For more information on Saga Home Insurance, visit saga.co.uk/home.