When you live on your own, you’re likely to come across something in your house every week and think: I really need to get around to that. From a lightbulb that’s been serving as a lamp for months to an attic without flooring or a bathroom with a shower curtain that’s seen better days. Sometimes we don’t even notice any more that something needs replacing, and other times we simply postpone it because we just don’t feel like it. But how many chores do we actually put off? And why do we do that? We researched the DIY habits of Britons and discovered a number of striking insights!
Procrastination when doing chores
Over 80% of Britons sometimes put off a DIY task. This isn’t surprising, as we’d rather do things we genuinely enjoy in our free time. For some, DIY is a relaxing hobby, while others prefer to hire a professional. Nearly a third of Britons have even made procrastination a habit and regularly put off DIY tasks. In addition, 1 in 10 Britons only wait to do the chores they genuinely don’t feel like doing.
However, there is also a group of keen DIYers: about 3% tackle every job immediately, without any form of delay. The difference between men and women is striking. While 41% of women admit to postponing tasks more often, this is true for only 27% of men.
The reason behind procrastination
There are several reasons why we put off DIY tasks. For most people, it’s simply due to a lack of motivation: more than a third just don’t feel like starting. A lack of time also plays a major role. More than 1 in 5 Britons put off tasks because they have little time left outside of work and other obligations. After a long workday, cooking, and putting the kids to bed, there’s often little energy left to start a DIY task as well. We have visually mapped out all the reasons below.
Postponing
We now know that postponing DIY tasks is common, but when do people actually get started? 41% of Britons postpone a task for an average of a few weeks. In contrast, 27% get to it more quickly, putting it off for only a few days to a week. For 24%, the task sits around for much longer; they postpone it for an average of a few months. And then there’s the ultimate procrastinator: 8% wait even longer than a year before they finally start the job.
Painting and cleaning the least favourite DIY tasks
If we look at the tasks we postpone most often, maintenance jobs like painting and cleaning are the least favourite. More than 1 in 3 Brits (38%) say they postpone these types of tasks the most. Large renovations, such as installing a new floor, are also postponed more often by 1 in 3 (33%). For 17%, small repairs like replacing a tap are not jobs they tackle immediately, but rather prefer to put off. We postpone creative projects, like decorating or making furniture, the least often. Only just over 1 in 10 (12%) indicate that they often postpone this kind of task.
Outsourcing DIY tasks
Delaying a task is one thing, but some jobs we’d rather outsource entirely. The most common reason for this? A lack of knowledge and experience; for 45% of Britons, this is the deciding factor. However, knowledge isn’t always the issue. For 11%, it’s all about convenience—they simply don’t feel like doing the work themselves. Physical effort also plays a part. DIY can be heavy labour, and for one in five Britons, that’s reason enough to outsource it. The remaining 24% prefer to rely on a professional’s expertise to ensure the job is done correctly.
A fixer-upper: yes or no
With the expensive housing market, more and more people are considering a fixer-upper. For some, the idea of completely renovating a house to their own taste sounds like a dream, while others mainly see obstacles. The numbers show that a fixer-upper isn’t for everyone. More than half of Britons wouldn’t even consider it. In contrast, almost 1 in 10 (9%) have already bought a fixer-upper and another 9% see it as a great idea. And although a large portion of Britons wouldn’t choose one directly, as many as one in five have considered taking on the challenge.
Methodology
For this study, 812 Britons were asked about their DIY habits in a survey between August 1 and August 22.