Study Reveals How The Tradespeople Shortage Is Impacting Homeowners

A new study by Markel Direct, the specialist insurer of tradespeople, has revealed how the shortage of tradespeople in the UK is leading homeowners to attempt DIY repairs themselves. 

The survey, which explores the growing shortage of tradespeople in the UK, asked 1,187 UK homeowners to share their experience of hiring a tradesperson, as well as the DIY jobs they had attempted themselves that went wrong and later needed a professional tradesperson to fix.  

The data showed that nearly half of homeowners had struggled to find a tradesperson for a job, whilst 52% had been turned away by tradespeople who were too busy (or fully booked) to take on a new job. 

This shortage resulted in 29% of respondents attempting repairs themselves, which caused more damage than there was originally.  

The study comes against a backdrop of a decline in the number of trades businesses in the UK, which also contributes to an existing trades skills gap. Analysis shows that plastering businesses saw the largest year-on-year decrease at 9%, followed house building (-7%) and painting (-6%) companies. 

Top-five domestic trades businesses seeing the biggest declines 

Rob Rees, Divisional Director at Markel Direct, commented: “Whilst it’s essential for homeowners to possess basic DIY skills, knowing when to call in a professional tradesperson is equally crucial. As tempting as it may be to attempt a repair to save money or time, it can often result in higher costs and extended timelines. For peace of mind, hiring a qualified and insured tradesperson is the best course of action for more challenging tasks.” 

Urgent repair? Some Brits wait up to 2 weeks 

The study also explored the locations with the longest wait times for a tradesperson to fix an urgent issue. Plymouth topped the list, reporting a 10-day wait. Nottingham and Sheffield were next, with a 9-day wait, followed by Glasgow with an 8-day wait. 

As a result, 40% of Britons reported that the lack of available tradespeople affects their ability to maintain their homes, while 32% stated they would leave a household issue unresolved if they were unable to fix it themselves. 

The survey also explored the cost of fixing DIY disasters in cities across the UK. Brighton topped the list at £351.82, followed by Edinburgh (£344.67) and Nottingham in third place (£272.39). 

The mix of locations reporting long wait times and high repair costs are spread throughout the UK, underlining that the shortage of tradespeople is not a localised problem for any particular region(s). 

To read the full study, visit the Markel Direct website. 

Source : Markel Direct

Image : Via Markel Direct

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