The United Kingdom has always been a nation of DIY-lovers. Something attributed to our “I don’t need help, I can fix it myself” stiff upper-lip attitude.
But what’s particularly interesting is how mandatory lockdown has turbocharged our collective national obsession with DIY. Increasingly, more younger people than ever before are taking home improvement into their own hands.
From undertaking small fix-up jobs, to installing a completely new kitchen, undertaking projects to improve our homes is an increasingly popular option.
Making the Best of a Bad Situation
While the Covid-19 restrictions have been in place, a whopping 56% of individuals aged 25 to 34 have been involved in DIY of some kind. Likewise, almost half (49%) of those younger than 24 have carried out DIY home improvements.
Among these amateur interior artists, a third stated that they had picked up new skills (or at least accessed DIY tutorials) online. These and other figures published by ‘Democracy’ in a recent report suggest that the UK’s love affair with DIY is getting stronger by the day.
Indeed, during the earlier stages of lockdown, when all except essential trades could visit our homes, many of us turned to “giving it a go” when it came to small DIY jobs.
All Eyes on the Kitchen
To an extent, much of the attention of those concerns seems to have been focused on the kitchen. In fact, a full 29% of those carrying out home improvements during lockdown have had kitchen alterations in mind.
Traditionally, a room left to specialist fitters, DIYers are now becoming confident enough to overhaul their own kitchens.
Here at Kitchen Warehouse, our customers have long seen the value in choosing to update their kitchen at a fraction of the cost – either by choosing to install our complete kitchen units, or by choosing to upgrade existing kitchen cabinets to bring a fresh new look to their kitchen space.
We make it super easy for anyone who wants to install their new kitchen. You simply choose the design and colour of your new kitchen units, and then select from the sizes and styles that you like. From modern handle-less designs, to traditional shaker styles, we have a wealth of kitchen cabinets and doors that are sure to catch your eye.
Popular Projects in Lockdown
The Democracy report also provided a pretty detailed rundown of the most popular projects (by way of online search terms) during lockdown. Having seen an increase in online searches of 326% for April, ‘How to build a pizza oven’ was by far the most popular project.
Other projects undertaken en masse during lockdown included fixing dripping taps, putting up shelves, building sheds, putting up roller blinds and laying decking. People are also increasingly searching for online tutorials on how to hang wallpaper, which has traditionally taken a distant backseat to painting.
Why Now?
Of course, the obvious question is – why now? With the world in the grips of a grim and chaotic situation, why are people choosing right now to take matters into their own hands?
For the most part, the explosive popularity of DIY during lockdown has been attributed to two primary motivators:
- Due to business shutdowns and social distancing rules that will likely apply for some time, the option of hiring help hasn’t been available. Hence, it’s been a case of do it yourself, or not at all.
- Research suggests that approximately two thirds of the UK population is now actively attempting to spend less than they were before lockdown was enforced. As DIY is usually cheaper, it’s becoming the preferred option.
Here at Kitchen Warehouse, our customers have long enjoyed the affordable benefits of purchasing their kitchen online and then choosing self installation. Of course, while if you prefer to book a fitter you can do so, for many – with a little know-how, combined with watching our instructional videos means that you can choose to save even more on a brand new kitchen.
As for whether the whole thing continues post-lockdown remains to be seen, but most experts and observers alike believe it will. Along with the monetary savings DIY can bring, there’s also something borderline addictive about self-administered home improvements.
