Sometimes, we think it’s better to fix something ourselves than go through the process of hiring a tradesperson. Whether it’s painting and decorating, plumbing, or working with electricals, lots of us are looking to save a bit of time and cash getting the job done ourselves. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?

Trying to fix a problem yourself before hiring a professional is more common than you might think. When we asked 500 people if they or someone else in their household has ever attempted to fix something in the home before or instead of hiring a professional, 68% said yes.

Attempting to sort the issue yourself first appears to be more common with the older age groups, as more than three-quarters of respondents aged 55-64 answered yes, compared to 69% of 25-34 year olds.

For over two-thirds of us, saving money is the main reason we’ll attempt the job ourselves. Saving time was the next biggest reason at 37%. Just under a third of Brits said they do it for enjoyment, and a quarter do it because ‘I have the skills and tools to do so’. However, for almost a fifth of us, the main reason is impatience.

We spoke to over 300 trade experts to get their opinions on the matter. 74% of them agreed that the most common reason for a botched job is clients trying to cut costs. Our trade experts also see inexperience as a reason for botches occurring, with 36% of our experts believing this is the cause of the mistakes.

When asked if they’d ever had to call a professional to finish a DIY job after attempting it first, a third of respondents said yes. But it’s 55-64 year olds that need the most help, with 37% of them asking for help to fix a job, compared to just a quarter of 35 – 44 year olds.

According to our panel of trade experts, the most common botched jobs to be called out for are:

1. Fixing leaks
2. Plumbing in appliances
3. Plumbing in bathrooms/kitchens
4. Changing taps
5. Painting and decorating

All of our trade experts have had to repair a botched job at some point in their careers, with 30% stating that they fix mistakes at least monthly, sometimes even more frequently. 6% even reported having to fix botched jobs at least once a week!

When asked which jobs our experts advise people not to try on their own, ‘anything to do with water’ came out on top. This is no surprise, as three of the top botched jobs involve water: fixing leaks, plumbing in bathrooms, and changing taps.

Other jobs our experts warn against are electrical installations and gas work, without proper experience these tasks can cause some real damage if done incorrectly.

More than a third of tradespeople said a botched job could add another £100-£500 on top of the price, due to the extra work that needs doing.

Plumbing tasks may seem small, but they can cost you hundreds in the long run if you mess up the job.

Leaks often come with a moment of panic and so it’s no wonder that many jump right in to fix the problem themselves. Fixing a leaky radiator costs an average of £180 across the country, so it may be tempting to attempt this yourself. Whilst 70% of the general public choose to do the job themselves to save a bit of cash, it can actually be a lot pricier when a tradesperson is finally called to correct any mistakes.

Jamie, owner of Billabong Plumbing & Gas Services, said:

“When money is tight, people will often resort to attempting plumbing jobs themselves to save money, but it can end up costing them more in the long run.”

“They then have to pay for my time to correct the problem, replacement parts and the cost to repair the damage, which is a lot more expensive than paying me to do the job in the first place.”

Fixing a leaky tap costs, on average, £110 and is a job that may be best left to the professionals. It may not seem like a huge problem but without fixing it, it can lead to mould build-up, structural damage and cause you to waste both water and money.

When it comes to changing the taps themselves, a single nut screwed too tightly can lead to more damage, which is why ensuring someone with the right tools and knowledge takes on the task is so important.

Put it this way, if you’ve spent £100 on new taps and make a mistake fitting them yourself, you may have to pay around another £110-£130 for a professional to fix the problem, and that’s if the issue is just with the taps. Attempting to fix it yourself could mean doubling the cost compared to if you just called a plumber in the first place.

To paint and decorate well, it is important that plastering is done correctly. Without this, even a well-painted wall will still look rough and bumpy.

Ollie, plasterer, said:

“I get called out for botched plastering jobs and sometimes this adds another day of work on top to have to re-prep the area and remove anything that they have done already. This adds roughly £150-£200 to the job.”

As the average day rate for a painter/decorator is £190, it would work out cheaper to hire the professional in the first place to ensure the plastering is done correctly before decorating anything.