DIY skills on the rise as Brits lose their fears

- survey reveals DIY loves and hates -

Maybe it’s the recession, but Britain is fast becoming a nation of DIY experts - and that includes the girls - according to a survey by the diyfixit.co.uk website.

Power tool phobia and fear of flat-pack furniture are a thing of the past: 86 per cent of respondents say they are happy using a drill and 85 per cent can assemble furniture with ease.

Sealant guns, simple electrics and shelving are no problem for over 70 per cent of DIYers. Drilling walls, fitting roller blinds and replacing tap washers are now viewed as straightforward tasks.

Sexwise, female DIYers are only marginally less capable than men and are equally willing to do the same jobs. An aversion to using what they view as ‘difficult’ tools, such as drills and sealant guns, is their main weakness. The girls excel at painting and decorating.

Least popular in the website’s survey of ‘DIY jobs you love and hate’ are plastering, replacing a window pane, simple brick-laying, paint stripping, loft insulation and wallpapering.

All forms of plumbing, wallpaper stripping, Artex, wood-chip wallpaper, grouting and anything to do with ceilings are all singled out in the list of pet hates.

Results of the diyfixit.co.uk survey were:

DIY jobs you are happy to do

1. Using power tools 86%
2. Assembling flat-pack furniture 85%
3= Drilling and plugging a wall 82%
3= Painting 82%
5. Putting up ready-made shelves 77%
6. Using a sealant gun 76%
7. Fitting a roller blind 71%
8. Replacing a light switch 70%
9. Working up a ladder 66%
10. Replacing a tap washer 62%

DIY jobs you would not do

1. Plastering a wall 46%
2. Replacing a window pane 37%
3. Simple brick-laying 24%
4= Paint stripping 23%
4= Insulating a loft 23%
6= Wallpapering 22%
6= Sanding a floor 22%
8= Hanging a door 19%
8= Tiling 19%
10. Making your own shelves 16%

Pet Hates

We had some interesting results for our "Do you have any pet hates" The response that cropped up most was a dislike of bodged and unfinished work :

Past owners covering up problems with thick wallpaper

people who try to do things without any idea.

not finishing a job before starting the next!

pepole who dont give it a second coat

any job thats been botched!!

And some of the funnier ones:

watching my husband do it wrong when I know I could do better!!

wife saying when will it be finished

when my hopeless husband tries to help!