The Nation's Most Searched For DIY Jobs
Four in five include 'home improvements' in their list of New Year's resolutions
The arrival of a New Year means many of us are setting resolutions, but this time around it seems that we are not promising to go to the gym, cut out alcohol, or read books – 2021 is proving to be the year of home improvements resolutions.
We recently ran a new survey with 1,000 homeowners and discovered that a massive 79% have set themselves at least one New Year's resolution linked with improving their property.
A third (32%) said they had committed to more DIY because they have been spending more time around their house and have seen jobs that they want fixing.
Half of those surveyed (46%) are planning to redecorate inside (at least one room), with the main focus being on the kitchen (16%) and the bathroom (15%).
One in ten (10%) are also planning a home office conversion project in 2021.
The top fifty most searched for DIY jobs
How to wallpaper – 123,500 (based on average monthly UK searches)
DIY kitchen – 116,900
DIY decorating – 96,100
DIY garden – 67,700
DIY table – 76,200
Buying furniture – 50,200
DIY lighting – 46,600
DIY painting – 42,500
DIY storage – 40,300
DIY bar – 33,800
How to build a deck – 33,500
How to paint furniture – 25,900
How to paint a room – 29,700
DIY desk – 24,400
DIY planter – 23,700
DIY cabinets – 22,100
DIY bench – 21,700
DIY shelves – 20,400
How to reupholster – 19,800
DIY lamp – 16,900
DIY mirror – 16,200
How to lay tiles – 16,000
DIY chair – 16,000
DIY bathroom – 13,900
DIY bedroom – 13,400
How to lay laminate – 13,300
DIY fence – 12,900
DIY headboard – 12,000
DIY curtains – 11,600
DIY patio – 10,800
Fitting a kitchen – 10,600
How to hang pictures – 10,400
Changing a light fitting – 10,300
DIY wall art – 9,800
DIY blinds – 7,500
DIY pizza oven – 6,700
Fitting a bathroom – 6,400
How to lay carpet – 6,100
DIY sanding – 5,700
How to build storage – 5,500
DIY cushions – 5,500
Knocking down a wall – 5,100
DIY office – 4,900
Putting up shelves – 3,600
Redecorating – 3,200
DIY plastering – 2,600
DIY loft conversion – 2,400
DIY plumbing – 1,800
DIY landscaping – 1,500
DIY garden room – 1,500
The top ten areas of the home where people are searching online for inspiration
Garden ideas – 1,022,690 (average monthly searches in the UK)
Bedroom ideas – 975,060
Kitchen ideas – 605,330
Bathroom ideas – 510,550
Living room ideas – 485,470
Hallway ideas – 137,600
Dining room ideas – 55,980
Loft ideas – 46,930
Home office ideas – 34,620
Utility room ideas – 22,240
The garden
The garden came out on top, with over a million monthly searches for 'garden ideas' on average. Within this, top related searches were:
Garden sheds – 165,000
Front garden ideas – 61,930 (average monthly searches in the UK)
Garden bar – 60,500
Back garden ideas – 16,660
Garden decking ideas – 12,100
The bedroom
Inside the house, the bedroom came out as the room we most want DIY ideas for. Top related searches were:
Bedroom design - 33,100
Kids bedroom ideas - 18,110
Master bedroom ideas – 5,400 (average monthly searches in the UK)
Small bedroom ideas – 4,660
Spare bedroom ideas – 2,400
The kitchen
In third place was the kitchen, with people searching for…
DIY kitchens – 60,500
Kitchen design – 60,500
Small kitchen – 27,100
Open plan kitchen ideas – 2,900
Our top five tips for any homeowners planning a home improvement project this year
- Ensure you plan out your project thoroughly – do plenty of research before you start knocking down walls! Once you start, it's hard to turn back.
- Make sure you have the right tools for the job. We offer a range of Hand Tools and Power Tools with next working day delivery. We also stock Garden Tools, for anyone planning a project outside the home.
- Recognise what you can and can't do yourself. There are some jobs that are best left to the professionals – particularly more structural projects that might require specialist equipment like Air Compressors and Gas Struts, or anything related to electrics and plumbing. YouTube videos will only get you so far.
- If you are planning on using a tradesperson to help you with your project, we advise you get a range of quotes and use websites such as Checktrade to check customer reviews.
- Remember that home projects can often over-run and can go over budget too – unexpected extra jobs aren't unusual. Factor in a bit of extra time and a 10% budget buffer, just to be on the safe side.
For any tradespeople looking for tools in 2021, look no further than SGS Engineering. We can offer next day delivery on a wide range of professional tools including Tool Chests, Work Wear, Heating and Lighting and much more.
Now… go forth a DIY!
Our Data Sources
- Survey of 1,000 UK homeowners. Completed in January 2021
- Search data collated from SEM Rush on 06.01.21. Data shows average monthly UK searches.