With considerably more time on their hands, Brits are looking for different ways to keep themselves busy. One of the most popular ways to use new-round hours is by getting stuck into some good old-fashioned DIY.
MyJobQuote.co.uk surveyed 1,412 Brits who have embarked on DIY tasks/projects since the lockdown began, in a bid to discover which aspects they have failed/struggled with the most. They found that laying laminate flooring (58%) has been the biggest DIY problem for Brits. Followed by tiling their walls/floors (52%) and issues plastering their walls (45%).
It’s not only indoor tasks that have stumped Brits. With summer right around the corner, many have been looking at making their garden space as enjoyable as possible. In their attempt to do this, 43% have failed to lay decking in their outdoor space successfully.
Also, 36% of Brits have had a mishap when repairing/fitting doors and windows and a relatively simple task such as fitting new door/window/cupboard/cabinet handles has caused a headache for 19% of homeowners. Despite already experiencing DIY difficulties/problems during the lockdown, a brave 32% are going to persist with doing more tasks/projects over the Easter break (Friday 10th – Monday 13th April).
Overall from those surveyed, their main motivation to carry out DIY during lockdown is as follows:
- Boredom/nothing else to do during lockdown (34%)
- Finally have the spare time due to lockdown (29%)
- Influenced by friends/family/neighbours (16%)
- Influenced by online articles/videos (13%)
- Already had plans to do DIY around this time of the year (8%)
Lisa Evans, a spokesperson from MyJobQuote.co.uk, commented: “We are unprecedented times. COVID-19 has had a massive impact on daily life. To the credit of millions of Brits across the country, they have wisely followed government guidelines and stayed in their home. In doing so, many have tried their hands at DIY. Making the changes, they have always desired or taking the inspiration from someone/something to do so.
While commendable, there have understandably been DIY mishaps. This research highlights the most common DIY woes that Brits have experienced during lockdown – with some surprising results. The good news for individuals is that they can use the wealth of knowledge available online to correct any DIY fails safely and methodologically”.
Top tips for effectively resolving lockdown DIY fails/struggles.
Search Online
With the internet providing a plethora of information, read relevant blog posts to find the solution to your DIY problem – there are various reputable publications which address a ton of different jobs.
Video Assistance
If you are not a fan of reading, utilise YouTube. Type in the task or project you are having an issue with and then you will see multiple ‘how to’ videos, which might have the answers to the questions you are looking for. Also, a lot of the videos are done by professionals, so their advice is more than likely to be reliable/trustworthy.
Wait it out
Trying but failing is never a bad thing and don’t put yourself down. If you think you don’t have the confidence or can’t sufficiently understand how to rectify the problem in hand – wait until the current situation subsides and find a reputable professional to look into it.
Read more lifestyle-related articles in our dedicated section here.
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