Would you hire professional plumbers or Do it yourself? Homecure looked into the claim that DIY is dead…
Homecure pride themselves on a professional service but for a long time DIY was king. Home improvement TV shows like Changing Rooms and Ground Force in the late 90s captured the British DIY obsession, while stores like B&Q, Homebase and Wicks thrived on this DIY demand. But with Britain now boasting an influx of experienced and inexpensive builders, the do-it-yourself culture appears to be over.
The DIY struggle…
DIY stores have been struggling for some time, and B&Qs recent announcements to shut 60 stores, along with Homebase planning to close a quarter. This highlights the decrease in home-owners looking for quick fix improvements in favour of professional help.
Over the last 10 years the number of skilled tradesmen in the UK has steadily increased. This introduced competition and drove down the cost of hiring help, making it easier and more affordable to employ an expert to carry out maintenance and cosmetic improvements.
John Carter, CEO of DIY chain Travis Perkins (which owns Wickes, Toolstation and Tile Giant) told the Sunday Telegraph: “There’s a lack of ambition to do it and people prefer to enjoy their social life than do DIY. We would much prefer to bring in a tradesman who they know will do the job well. Overall people will get much more satisfaction from the job if it has been done professionally.”
No longer a luxury…
Professional plumbing, electric and building services are no longer luxuries out of reach, they now come with reasonable price tags, less hassle and less mess. A second blow to DIY was also blamed on a new generation of renters, unable to get on the housing ladder. Young couples rely on landlords who will call a local plumber or local electrician to fix problems in the home.
One thing to remember when booking a tradesman for your home is to do some research – ensure firms are trustworthy, have good reviews, and have the required qualifications or safety certificates to carry out work. By law anyone working with gas appliances must be Gas Safe Registered and electricians must be licensed.
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