Forget Handy Andy, it’s more likely to be Handy Dave coming to the rescue, according to new research from British Gas. The study of 2,001 adults found Dave (13%) tops Britain’s DIY names leaderboard, followed by Steve, John and David (all 12%), while Emma (4%) emerged as the handiest female name. Further down, Paul (5%) and Nigel (4%) were among the names identified as least handy around the home.
And it seems British Gas has a few Handy Daves of its own, with 40 engineers sharing the nation’s handiest name. Of course, being handy isn’t just about knowing your way around a toolbox, but knowing when to put the tools down and call in an expert. While Brits are happy to roll up their sleeves for everyday tasks such as painting a wall (68%), hanging a picture (66%) and fixing a loose door handle (50%), they’re far more likely to leave specialist jobs such as repairing a boiler (73%), electrical wiring (68%) and central heating repairs (66%) to the professionals.
To bring this message to life, British Gas has taken an oversized toolbox with a difference to the streets of London, dispensing cups of tea rather than tools. The stunt forms part of British Gas’s Don’t Do It Yourself campaign, encouraging Brits to recognise when a household job is best left to an expert and instead take care of something everyone can confidently do: stick the kettle on.
And while there’s nothing wrong with having a go at everyday DIY, the research suggests knowing your limits is key. More than two-thirds of Brits (67%) admit starting a household job thinking “how hard can it be?”, only to later regret it, while seven in ten (70%) confess to attempting something despite not being completely confident they knew what they were doing. In fact, almost half (46%) have started a DIY job only to wish they hadn’t. Meanwhile, 62% have followed an online DIY tutorial, only to discover the job was trickier than it looked.
It’s not just the DIY job itself that can go wrong, either. Almost half (47%) say their DIY attempts have made a problem worse, while more than half (52%) have ended up arguing with a partner or loved one over their attempts. And for some, the challenge has proved too much, with a quarter (26%) admitting they’ve abandoned a DIY job because they simply didn’t know what to do next.
Among the household tasks Brits most regret attempting themselves are painting and decorating (21%), assembling flat-pack furniture (17%) and putting up shelves (15%). And almost a quarter (24%) admit to having experienced a DIY disaster themselves. Meanwhile, common DIY mishaps include spilling paint on furniture or carpets (27%), assembling flat-pack furniture only to find mystery screws left over (23%) and glueing something in the wrong position (18%).
And while having a go can sometimes save money, the research suggests taking on a job beyond your abilities can occasionally have the opposite effect. A quarter (26%) admit they have ended up spending more than if they’d called an expert in the first place. Almost half of Brits (46%) have had to call in a professional to fix a DIY job they’ve attempted themselves, with those needing repairs spending an average of £249 on professional fixes over the past year.
Celia Syme, Director of Customer Delivery at British Gas, said:
“Every day, our engineers help customers with all sorts of jobs around the home, and we know how important it is to have someone you can rely on when things go wrong.
“Our engineers have had over 1 million 10 out of 10 ratings so far this year, which is something we’re incredibly proud of. It’s a brilliant reflection of the work our teams do and the difference they make to households across the country.”
“While there are plenty of jobs people can confidently tackle themselves, some are best left to those with the right expertise. Sometimes the handiest thing you can do is put the kettle on and let an expert take care of the rest.”
British Gas engineers help millions of customers keep their homes running, with expertise that goes far beyond boilers. From heating and plumbing to drains, electrics and appliance repairs, its nationwide engineer network is on hand to help households when they need it most.
And having seen their fair share of DIY attempts over the years, British Gas engineers know that even the best intentions don’t always go to plan.
THE TOP 10 DIY MISHAPS, ACCORDING TO BRITS
- Spilled paint on furniture or carpet – 27%
- Assembled flat-pack furniture with leftover mystery screws – 23%
- Glued something in the wrong position – 18%
- Drilled unnecessary holes in a wall – 17%
- Put up wonky shelves – 14%
- Incorrectly measured furniture so it didn’t fit – 14%
- Painted over wallpaper that should have been removed – 13%
- Put wallpaper up with crooked or mismatched seams – 12%
- Cut tiles too short – 11%
- Had plaster peeling off the wall – 9%
