A UK-based marketplace connecting professional and hobbyist builders with materials suppliers has revealed that more than half of UK adults (52%) do not know how to change a lightbulb. The findings come after the marketplace surveyed Brits to reveal a list of the DIY/household tasks UK adults do not know how to do. Changing a plug fuse tops the list with three quarters (73%) of adults unaware how to do so, followed by bleeding a radiator (66%) and unblocking a drain (61%). Additional findings from the survey revealed that half of women will use YouTube to discover how to do household tasks, whereas three quarters of men will ‘wing it’.

A UK-based marketplace connecting professional and hobbyist builders with materials suppliers has revealed that more than half of UK adults (52%) do not know how to change a lightbulb.

Surveying 2,000 Brits, MaterialsMarket.com, has revealed a list of the common DIY/household tasks UK adults do not know how to do. Changing a plug fuse tops the list with three quarters (73%) of adults unaware how to do so, followed by bleeding a radiator (66%) and unblocking a drain (61%). 

The top five DIY/household tasks Brits do not know how to do (and the percentage of people) are:

1. Change a plug fuse - 73%
2. Bleed a radiator - 66%
3. Unblock a drain - 61%
4. Reseal a bath/shower/sink - 59%
5. Put up a shelf - 55%

The full list of 10 DIY/household tasks that Brits do not know how to do and full survey results can be found here: https://materialsmarket.com/articles/plumbing-painting-and-light-bulbs-the-diy-tasks-that-brits-cant-do/ 

When talking to participants further, the marketplace asked Brits what they would do if they needed to complete DIY tasks they were unfamiliar with. Of the participants surveyed, over two fifths (41%) confirmed that they would call a professional to complete the job for them, whereas a third (35%) stated that they would try to complete it themselves and the remaining quarter (24%) would rely on a partner, friend or family member to do it for them.

Of those who stated that they’d try to complete the task themselves, the survey found that half (52%) of female respondents would use YouTube to discover how to carry out the job, whereas three quarters (64%) of men admitted that they would ‘wing it’. 

MaterialsMarket.com is a marketplace seeking to improve efficiency in the construction supply industry, providing speedy delivery times and affordable pricing. With the belief that for every order there is a perfect supplier, it aims to match the customer and supplier, saving time, money, and stress. 

Samuel Hunt, co-founder of MaterialsMarket.com, said,

“When it comes to DIY tasks around the house, most of us don’t know how to do the simplest of tasks until we move out and are left to our own devices. We’re always looking to discover people's DIY needs here at MaterialsMarket.com, so we conducted this survey to discover which common DIY and household jobs Brits know how to do, and which ones they may be clueless on.  “I can’t lie, some of the findings were pretty shocking, with many people unable to do necessary jobs for anyone owning a house or living alone, such as changing a lightbulb or putting furniture together. I do wonder if an electrician has ever been called to change a lightbulb for people! Hopefully by releasing our findings, more people will learn the ropes and give these tasks a go - I promise most of them aren’t as hard as they sound!”