Consumers across Britain have forked out more than £5 billion to professional tradespeople to fix their botched DIY attempts, new research from NICEIC has found.
NICEIC Media Team | Communications
A poll of 2,000 people found that 93% have attempted to 'give it a go' when it comes to the likes of installing pendant lighting, replumbing a radiator, and even knocking down a wall.
But many were unsuccessful in their endeavours, with 40% having to spend an average of £239 calling in the experts to clean up their mess – a total of £5,082,996,813 across the nation.
Of those who have made a hash of a job, 69% admitted that, in hindsight, they shouldn't have tried to attempt certain jobs in the first place. And 28% admitted they are now more cautious in taking on bigger DIY tasks.
As the UK’s leading certification and training body for the electrical industry, NICEIC is encouraging householders to call in a professional rather than giving it a go themselves.
After a botched DIY job, 47% were left frustrated, 38% with feelings of stress, and 33% beset with regret.
More concerningly, 43% reckon they’ve made a DIY mistake that was downright dangerous, according to the OnePoll.com figures. This includes bursting a pipe or causing a leak (37%), receiving an electric shock (31%), and falling off a ladder or stool (19%).
The research found that in a typical year, those who did have to call in a professional tradesperson to fix a job did so on two occasions – showing this is a repeat occurrence for some.
Commenting on the research, Paul Collins, Technical Director at NICEIC, said: "Many of us have been to jobs where we have seen bad examples of DIY, or even been called out to fix an emergency issue resulting from someone having a go at a job they were not competent to attempt. When it comes to painting or putting up furniture, a bad job usually results in no more than a minor inconvenience for the householder. However, when it comes to electrics, we would urge people to consider the very real risk involved, which is the potential threat to their family’s safety.
“The research also shows that professionals do receive multiple callouts to fix DIY that has gone wrong. This highlights how important it is for tradespeople to help educate their customers on the risks associated with attempting certain jobs. We all have a duty to reiterate the fact that when it comes to electrics, DIY is never worth the risk.”
Some of the top reasons for giving up on DIY tasks included simply finding themselves stuck halfway through (24%) or not having the right tools (23%).
Paul added: “Always use an NICEIC-certified business to ensure the work is done safely, correctly, and in compliance with regulations, to protect your home and your own safety.”
But many were unsuccessful in their endeavours, with 40% having to spend an average of £239 calling in the experts to clean up their mess – a total of £5,082,996,813 across the nation.
Of those who have made a hash of a job, 69% admitted that, in hindsight, they shouldn't have tried to attempt certain jobs in the first place. And 28% admitted they are now more cautious in taking on bigger DIY tasks.
As the UK’s leading certification and training body for the electrical industry, NICEIC is encouraging householders to call in a professional rather than giving it a go themselves.
After a botched DIY job, 47% were left frustrated, 38% with feelings of stress, and 33% beset with regret.
More concerningly, 43% reckon they’ve made a DIY mistake that was downright dangerous, according to the OnePoll.com figures. This includes bursting a pipe or causing a leak (37%), receiving an electric shock (31%), and falling off a ladder or stool (19%).
The research found that in a typical year, those who did have to call in a professional tradesperson to fix a job did so on two occasions – showing this is a repeat occurrence for some.
Commenting on the research, Paul Collins, Technical Director at NICEIC, said: "Many of us have been to jobs where we have seen bad examples of DIY, or even been called out to fix an emergency issue resulting from someone having a go at a job they were not competent to attempt. When it comes to painting or putting up furniture, a bad job usually results in no more than a minor inconvenience for the householder. However, when it comes to electrics, we would urge people to consider the very real risk involved, which is the potential threat to their family’s safety.
“The research also shows that professionals do receive multiple callouts to fix DIY that has gone wrong. This highlights how important it is for tradespeople to help educate their customers on the risks associated with attempting certain jobs. We all have a duty to reiterate the fact that when it comes to electrics, DIY is never worth the risk.”
Some of the top reasons for giving up on DIY tasks included simply finding themselves stuck halfway through (24%) or not having the right tools (23%).
Paul added: “Always use an NICEIC-certified business to ensure the work is done safely, correctly, and in compliance with regulations, to protect your home and your own safety.”
