Britons turning to DIY 'to save money'

Wednesday, May 5th 2010

People living alone with little disposable income are taking on DIY projects in order to cut costs, one expert claims.

Duncan Hayes, editor at Build It Magazine, says the recession has meant people either lack or do not believe they have the funds to pay for professional work.

He adds: "Decorating is a way to make your mark and improve your home at a very affordable cost, with very apparent results."

According to a recent report from Tesco, 60 per cent of women are now shopping for DIY items in stores - a rise from 20 per cent one decade ago.

Mr Hayes states women have always had a role in decorating, but there is now a higher number of single occupancy households than before.

And this is a good way to get visible results, whereas tasks such as chimney cleaning can be costly but do not produce obvious improvements, he continues.