Friday, December 8, 2006
Category:
Home Improvements
Research conducted by Halifax Home Insurance show that 63% of Brits have asked their parents to help out with their home improvements.
It is estimated that parents have provided a huge £14 billion worth of labour over the past five years. Part of the reason for this is the new generation of Don’t Do It Yourselves.
It has been researched that more than half (53%) of 18-35 year olds do not possess the necessary skills to carry out simple tasks for themselves. Of this age group, only 31% of those asked in the survey conducted by Halifax rated their skills and knowledge as being better than their parents, compared to 42% of 35-54 year olds and 63% of over 55s.
With the next generation of DDiYers or Don’t Do It Yourselves, it seems that the basic skills required to carry out DIY will steadily decline as younger generations no longer have the free time. This is supported by the research conducted by Halifax which shows that almost half (43%) of Brits said that they had asked parents for help because they didn’t have the skills themselves and 36% because they didn’t have the time.
The research also showed that the most popular parental DIY tasks are painting and wallpapering followed by gardening and general DIY. Those in the Midlands are the most likely to call for their parents help, with 72% of the population having done so. And the most likely sex to ask a parent for help were women with 68% compared to 57% of men having seeked parental help.
Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance, said “It’s great that parents are so keen to help their offspring increase the value of their homes. It’s no secret that, if done well, even basic cosmetic tasks such as redecorating can add significant value to a property.”
............................................................................................................
Those wishing to finance home improvements or essential DIY, could always look at a secured homeowner loan as one option. Secured homeowner loans can be used for a wealth of home improvements, from extensions to modernising appliances found in kitchens or bathrooms. Repayments on a secured homeowner loan can usually be made over a term of 5 to 25 years and home improvers may even find that they add value to their properties with the right home improvements.
