The Nation's Most Searched For DIY Jobs

 

Four in five include 'home improvements' in their list of New Year's resolutions

 

The arrival of a New Year means many of us are setting resolutions, but this time around it seems that we are not promising to go to the gym, cut out alcohol, or read books – 2021 is proving to be the year of home improvements resolutions.

 

We recently ran a new survey with 1,000 homeowners and discovered that a massive 79% have set themselves at least one New Year’s resolution linked with improving their property.

 

A third (32%) said they had committed to more DIY because they have been spending more time around their house and have seen jobs that they want fixing.

 

Half of those surveyed (46%) are planning to redecorate inside (at least one room), with the main focus being on the kitchen (16%) and the bathroom (15%).

 

One in ten (10%) are also planning a home office conversion project in 2021.

 

Alongside our survey, we also analysed online search data² to find out which DIY jobs people are researching.

 

 

The top fifty most searched for DIY jobs

 

1. How to wallpaper – 123,500 (based on average monthly UK searches)
2. DIY kitchen – 116,900
3. DIY decorating – 96,100
4. DIY garden – 67,700
5. DIY table – 76,200
6. Buying furniture – 50,200
7. DIY lighting – 46,600
8. DIY painting – 42,500
9. DIY storage – 40,300
10. DIY bar – 33,800
11. How to build a deck – 33,500
12. How to paint furniture – 25,900
13. How to paint a room – 29,700
14. DIY desk – 24,400
15. DIY planter – 23,700
16. DIY cabinets – 22,100
17. DIY bench – 21,700
18. DIY shelves – 20,400
19. How to reupholster – 19,800
20. DIY lamp – 16,900
21. DIY mirror – 16,200
22. How to lay tiles – 16,000
23. DIY chair – 16,000
24. DIY bathroom – 13,900
25. DIY bedroom – 13,400
26. How to lay laminate – 13,300
27. DIY fence – 12,900
28. DIY headboard – 12,000
29. DIY curtains – 11,600
30. DIY patio – 10,800
31. Fitting a kitchen – 10,600
32. How to hang pictures – 10,400
33. Changing a light fitting – 10,300
34. DIY wall art – 9,800
35. DIY blinds – 7,500
36. DIY pizza oven – 6,700
37. Fitting a bathroom – 6,400
38. How to lay carpet – 6,100
39. DIY sanding – 5,700
40. How to build storage – 5,500
41. DIY cushions – 5,500
42. Knocking down a wall – 5,100
43. DIY office – 4,900
44. Putting up shelves – 3,600
45. Redecorating – 3,200
46. DIY plastering – 2,600
47. DIY loft conversion – 2,400
48. DIY plumbing – 1,800
49. DIY landscaping – 1,500
50. DIY garden room – 1,500

 

We also explored the areas of the home where people are looking for inspiration most.

 

 

The top ten areas of the home where people are searching online for inspiration

 

1. Garden ideas – 1,022,690 (average monthly searches in the UK)
2. Bedroom ideas – 975,060
3. Kitchen ideas – 605,330
4. Bathroom ideas – 510,550
5. Living room ideas – 485,470
6. Hallway ideas – 137,600
7. Dining room ideas – 55,980
8. Loft ideas – 46,930
9. Home office ideas – 34,620
10. Utility room ideas – 22,240

 

The garden came out on top, with over a million monthly searches for ‘garden ideas’ on average. Within this, top related searches were:

 

• Garden sheds – 165,000
• Front garden ideas – 61,930 (average monthly searches in the UK)
• Garden bar – 60,500
• Back garden ideas – 16,660
• Garden decking ideas – 12,100

 

 

Inside the house, the bedroom came out as the room we most want DIY ideas for. Top related searches were:

 

• Bedroom design - 33,100
• Kids bedroom ideas  - 18,110
• Master bedroom ideas – 5,400 (average monthly searches in the UK)
• Small bedroom ideas – 4,660
• Spare bedroom ideas – 2,400

 

 

In third place was the kitchen, with people searching for…

 

• DIY kitchens – 60,500
• Kitchen design – 60,500
• Small kitchen – 27,100
• Open plan kitchen ideas – 2,900

 

Our top five tips for any homeowners planning a home improvement project this year

 

1. Ensure you plan out your project thoroughly – do plenty of research before you start knocking down walls! Once you start, it’s hard to turn back.
2. Make sure you have the right tools for the job. We offer a range of Hand Tools and Power Tools with next working day delivery. We also stock Garden Tools, for anyone planning a project outside the home.
3. Recognise what you can and can’t do yourself. There are some jobs that are best left to the professionals – particularly more structural projects that might require specialist equipment like Air Compressors and Gas Struts, or anything related to electrics and plumbing. YouTube videos will only get you so far.
4. If you are planning on using a tradesperson to help you with your project, we advise you get a range of quotes and use websites such as Checktrade to check customer reviews.
5. Remember that home projects can often over-run and can go over budget too – unexpected extra jobs aren’t unusual. Factor in a bit of extra time and a 10% budget buffer, just to be on the safe side.

 

 

For any tradespeople looking for tools in 2021, look no further than SGS Engineering. We can offer next day delivery on a wide range of professional tools including Tool Chests, Work Wear, Heating and Lighting and much more.

 

Now… go forth a DIY!

 

---

 

Our Data Sources

 

1. Survey of 1,000 UK homeowners. Completed in January 2021
2. Search data collated from SEM Rush on 06.01.21. Data shows average monthly UK searches.