Young adults 'unable to undertake DIY jobs in kitchens' ★★★★★

Published on: 26/08/2010

Young Britons do not have the necessary skills to complete simple DIY tasks in kitchens and around the home, according to new research.

Halifax Home Insurance conducted a study which found that half of under-35s cannot wire a plug, while 63 per cent admitted that they would not attempt to put up wallpaper.

Furthermore, the insurer noted that 45 per cent would be unable to put up new shelves in the kitchen and often rely on their parents to carry out this type of work.

Andrew Leech, director of the National Home Improvement Council, claimed that the results are a "symptom of the times we live in".

"I think these are skills that are obviously not being passed down from father to son," he said.

"If you've got to call in a plumber just to change a tap washer, it's going to be a phenomenal expense."

Meanwhile, Fresh Home magazine writer Rachael Liska told the Star Tribune this week that modern kitchens can "breathe new life" into a property if designed and maintained in the right way.