Girls get a grip of DIY
MUMS are overtaking dads at DIY. According to the Federation of Master Builders, more women are fixing household problems.
Almost 80% of women have painted a room, while 65% have tackled the daunting task of assembling flat-pack furniture, research revealed.
A further 58% have unblocked a sink, while 50% have changed a fuse. More than 44% have unblocked a loo and more than 25% have cleared the guttering.
Mum Jenny Carter, from London, said paying for all the jobs to be done wasn’t cost effective for most mothers.
She said: “I’m happy to hire a builder for the big jobs but it would cost me a fortune if I had to pay a tradesperson every time I needed to change a fuse.
“If I’m a bit unsure, I tend to search online for ‘how-to’ videos to help guide me through the process – these videos give people like me a bit more confidence. ISOBEL DICKINSON
“Every family is different but in our house, when it comes to these sorts of tasks, I’m easily as handy as my other half.” Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: “This research shows any lingering gender stereotypes regarding domestic life are totally outdated.
“Not only do women lead on decisions regarding the style and scope of building projects, they also get stuck in themselves when hiring a builder isn’t necessary.”
The organisation is urging more females to get into the construction industry. Mr Berry added: “The industry is facing a massive skills shortage and we’re crying out for more female builders.
“At present, only two per cent of construction workers on site are female and until we start to appeal to 50% of the population, we won’t be able to plug the skills gap.”