Call in the professionals - £900 cost of TikTok DIY disasters

4 min read
  • 90 per cent of tradespeople report a rise in call outs to fix or finish off botched DIY jobs
  • Homeowners are paying out £900 to fix their botched DIY attempts, equivalent to £539 million a year
  • Most tradespeople surveyed (85 per cent) attribute the surge in people taking on ambitious DIY projects to the rise of instructional videos on social media
  • Over half (57 per cent) of homeowners who have started DIY jobs say they were influenced by media or social media

 

Homeowners spend an estimated £539 million a year employing tradespeople to fix DIY jobs that have gone awry. On average, it cost homeowners £919 to get a professional tradesperson to fix or finish their botched DIY attempts, reveals new research from Direct Line business insurance1 &2. 

The vast majority (85 per cent) of tradespeople believe the surge in people taking on ambitious DIY projects is due to the rise of ‘do it yourself’ videos on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Over half (57 per cent) of homeowners who have attempted DIY claim they were influenced by media or social media channels to take on the task.

One in five homeowners who have attempted DIY (18 per cent) admit to having been only partially successful. Of those who failed in their efforts, almost a quarter (22 per cent) had to call in a professional to fix the job and nearly one in ten (nine per cent) reported they made the thing they were trying to fix much worse. Almost half (47 per cent) admitted that their DIY project failed because they lacked the necessary skills to complete it, while 40 per cent said it was a larger job than they had anticipated.

Unsurprisingly, 90 per cent of tradespeople surveyed say they have noticed a rise in calls from people who need help from a professional to fix or finish a botched DIY project. Half of tradespeople (50 per cent) say that they get called to the rescue at least twice a week, averaging almost 100 a year.

Home improvement projects are incredibly popular with 82 per cent of homeowners taking on DIY in the last two years. The most popular DIY home renovation tasks include stripping paint and painting (55 per cent), putting up fittings (42 per cent), landscaping / fencing (38 per cent), wallpaper stripping / papering (31 per cent) and plumbing (25 per cent).

Jonny McHugh, Head of Small Business Insurance at Direct Line, said: “The popularity of social media, especially DIY content and home improvement tutorials, has resulted in a false sense of DIY confidence amongst some homeowners. Tradespeople take years to learn their craft and while something may look easy on social media, it is often far from it.  Anyone taking on DIY should consider the limit of their skills and whether it would be better to call in the professionals to ensure the job is done properly and with the right tools in the first place.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Censuswide survey of 500 tradespeople in the UK between 28th May 2024- 31st May 2024. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.

2. Opinium survey of 2,000 UK homeowners in the UK between 24th May 2024 - 28th May 2024. Opinium Research is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

For further information please contact:

Direct Line Group  

Unni Henry  

PR Manager 

Email: unni.henry@directlinegroup.co.uk 

 

About Direct Line business insurance

Launched in 2007 Direct Line business insurance now has over half a million customer policies, providing a flexible range of insurance products for the landlord, van and small business sectors.

Direct Line business insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Direct Line business insurance and U K Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.

Customers can find out more about Direct Line business insurance products or get a quote by calling 0345 301 4827 or visiting https://www.directline,forbusiness.co.uk