The Grand Designs Effect

• Younger homeowners almost twice as likely to be inspired by TV shows¹
• 60-minute makeover, DIY SOS and Grand Designs are the biggest TV inspirations
• But attempting to copy jobs seen on screen leaves a fifth of homeowners with a hefty bill of around £300 to fix

We are a nation of TV-lovers, and home renovation programmes continue to be primetime viewing.

In fact, 38% of homeowners have been so inspired by these TV programmes that they’ve taken on a home maintenance project themselves. 60 Minute Makeover is revealed to be the biggest inspiration, with its upcoming reboot this year likely to lead to an increase in home DIY.

The research commissioned by home assistance provider, HomeServe, also finds that the younger generation (18–34-year-olds) are the most inspired when it comes to copying what they see on the screen, with this age group the most likely to undertake home maintenance tasks (64% v 38% of all age groups).

Across all age groups, some of the most likely tasks Brits are set to undertake include electrical work (25%), plumbing work (20%) and home insulation or weatherproofing (17%).

But experts are warning that attempting home maintenance without being fully prepared or skilled can incur a financial impact. The research found attempting home maintenance, whilst not being fully prepared, has led to a fifth of Brits (20%) having to fork out the sum of £329 on average to remedy the problem.

These costly mistakes could be the reason that half of homeowners (50%) say they’d like more information on how to upskill before attempting future projects.

Chris Houghton, HomeServe Engineer comments:

“It’s no surprise that home renovation programmes are so popular, given that we spend so much time in our own home and wanting it to look its best.

“We want to encourage the nation to tackle common fixes around the home efficiently and safely as well as upgrading their homes, but often TV shows make the job look easier than it is and can lead to costly errors. Our online Knowledge Hub aims to combat this by offering a series of simple step-by-step guides on home maintenance tasks. Having said that, it’s always important to consult a professional if in doubt, to avoid causing additional damage or incur a cost.”

For more information and for simple home maintenance advice visit HomeServe’s Knowledge Hub.

ENDS

For more information, or to arrange a media interview, please contact:

Liam Reeves – Third City

Telephone: 07398 268 187
Email: liam@thirdcity.co.uk

About the research

Unless otherwise stated, data is based on Opinium commissioned research amongst 2,000 UK homeowners (18+) in July 2024.

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¹  According to nationally representative research conducted by Opinium, 64% of those aged 18-34 have attempted home maintenance after watching a DIY programme, compared to 38% of all age groups. /small>