The house that Google built

New research has revealed that there is a new generation of iDIY-ers in the UK, with over a quarter of people ditching age old advice from dad and using Google as a DIY guide to avoid a costly disaster.

The iDIY phenomenon features as the number one trend as part of a new study released by financial provider, Hitachi Capital. The report shows that a staggering 26% of people use the Internet to find out how to complete a task, honing their DIY skills on YouTube to avoid paying an expert.

Nearly two thirds (63%) of those questioned said they would spend between one to five hours aiming to complete a DIY task and less than a fifth (18%) would call in the professionals first - although twice as many women than men would do this as a first resort.

Not surprisingly, the younger people are leading this DIY technology revolution, with over a third (35%) of 18-24 year olds saying they would Google the answer to sort out a DIY problem, using videos and forums, whereas only a fifth (21%) of over 55s would do the same.

It seems that those giving up their holiday weekend to do home makeovers also seek praise for their work online, with over a third (41%) proudly showing of their DIY result once they’ve completed it. Posting up pictures of their newly knocked up shelf or living room masterpiece on Facebook and Twitter for all their social media ‘friends’ to see and comment on, displaying a ‘House that Google built’.

Phil Scullion, editor of AboutProperty.co.uk, said: "We are very much an information generation. If you've got a DIY problem, you can almost guarantee someone has uploaded a video or put together some tips and tricks to help you out.

"As the Hitachi Capital research shows, you might want to steer clear of electrics and plumbing unless you are qualified, but things like painting and wallpapering can be great fun.

"We love it when people tweet us with pictures of their DIY efforts. There's a certain pride in doing things yourself and we think that if you've done all of your own painting and decorating then you definitely deserve to have a little brag about it on online."

Gerald Grimes, managing director at Hitachi Capital, added: "We’re a nation of DIY lovers and with the survey showing that one in five of us are increasingly spending more time in our homes due to the economic climate, even simple and relatively inexpensive tasks such as touching up the paintwork can add an average of £3,100 to the price of a home.

"So whilst we may leave the bigger challenges such as extensions and conservatories to the professionals, we can still make significant changes through the easier DIY tasks, adding monetary value as well as improving quality of life through being able to enjoy your home to the full."

Source : Retail Bulletin
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