Having a go at home improvements may be more costly than we think, according to a recent study by construction supplier Burton Roofing.
By analysing monthly housing data from the Office of National Statistics and talking to 1,000 UK homeowners, the investigation found that the average UK household will spend £1,150.24 every year on their DIY attempts. This equates to a total of more than £31billion (£31,229,016,000) estimated to be spent on putting up shelves, refitting kitchens and hanging picture frames every year.
Londoners are revealed to be the most hands-on when it comes to their home improvements, spending £2,626 every year on their DIY attempts. On the other hand, Belfast came out as the most content with their surroundings, spending just £462.80 a year on home alterations.
- London – £2,626.00
- Southampton – £1,960.40
- Bristol – £1,606.80
- Norwich – £1,570.40
- Liverpool – £1,326.00
- Manchester – £1,326.00
- Nottingham – £1,310.40
- Leeds – £956.80
- Sheffield – £956.80
- Birmingham – £712.40
- Cardiff – £629.20
- Newcastle – £603.20
- Edinburgh – £603.20
- Glasgow – £603.20
- Belfast £462.80
DIY projects don’t only have the potential to cost our wallets however, with the latest figures from NHS Digital showing that there were 62,895 hospital admissions in 2017-18 related to DIY accidents. Falling from ladders, contact with non-powered hand tools and falling through floors were just some of the injuries listed where the UK’s home improvement ambition has exceeded its skill.
Other findings suggested that:
- Men are more than twice as likely to be injured in DIY related accidents, with 43,495 men admitted to hospital for DIY related accidents (compared to only 19,400 women)
- The most dangerous age to attempt DIY is 43 years old.
It seems the adage of ‘measure twice, cut once’ need to be followed most by UK males, with 69% of all DIY related injuries being suffered by men. The age to avoid any jobs around the house is 43 years-old, with this being shown as the most likely time to suffer an accident when doing work on the home.
Given the excessive spend and apparent danger that is associated with ill-planned DIY projects, Burton Roofing set out to find the UK’s biggest DIY disaster through a photo submission competition. With entries spanning from hammers falling through ceilings, mismatched brick effect wallpaper and flooded kitchens requiring a call to the fire brigade, it’s clear that planning is not always at the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to DIY.
Top 10 entries can be found here: https://www.burtonroofing.co.uk/news/post/diy-disasters.html
Paul Hattee, Managing Director at Burton Roofing, commented on the findings:
“Whilst it is heartening to see so many people trying their hands at DIY, it is important to keep in mind the importance of properly planning out a project, however big or small.
“As our competition has highlighted, there are a number of ways a DIY project can get out of hand, with the possibility of damage to property as well as injury to those involved.
“To avoid living with half a kitchen for six months, mismatched brick effect wallpaper or having to buy a new television after your light fitting comes crashing down, ensure you have properly thought through your household alterations and use the correct protective equipment.”