One in three Brits Left Paying the Price for DIY Mishaps

In fact, a third of Brits (32%) admit that they have attempted to do home repairs themselves, with many turning to YouTube and social media “how-to” hacks for guidance. Men were almost twice as likely as women to admit to botched jobs, with 39% of male respondents owning up to a DIY disaster, compared to 20% of women.

While digital tutorials don’t always guarantee a flawless finish, social media is still shaping the way Brits approach home improvement. In fact, One in five (21%) have been influenced to hire a tradesperson because of something they saw them post on social media.

With social media playing a pivotal role in how consumers are selecting tradespeople, one in ten (10%) Brits say they wouldn’t hire a tradesperson who lacks a social media presence. For young aspiring home improvers (25-34 year olds), this figure rises to one in five (19%) who are using social media as an essential tool for reviewing tradespeople’s craftsmanship.

Transparency is a key motivator: One in five (22%) believe that social media helps establish trust by providing insight into the quality and reliability of a tradesperson’s work. Customer reviews (49%), video demonstrations (39%), and before-and-after images (35%) are among the top content types influencing British homeowners hiring decisions. One in four Brits under 35 would hire a tradesperson based on their online presence, compared to just 3% of those aged 55 and over.

It’s not just social media that is influencing where people seek out a trusted tradesperson. Reputable platforms like Checkatrade remain the go-to for the majority of Brits (67%) who continue to rely on them for recommendations before hiring a professional.

Two in five (43%) home improvers find tradespeople through word-of-mouth recommendations, while nearly one in three (31%) are influenced by print marketing materials such as leaflets, van signage and local advertising, highlighting the importance of strong branding for tradespeople.

In fact, branding mistakes are often deterring potential customers. Over half (53%) of respondents agree that if a business has poor design or branding, they are less likely to trust the quality of their work. A third of Brits (36%) find puns in business names off-putting, with spelling errors (45%) and low-quality imagery (49%) other serious red flags when it comes to hiring a tradesperson.

Sabine Leveiller, VP of Marketing at VistaPrint Europe comments: “Tradespeople play a vital role in the UK’s small business community, and in today’s digital world, first impressions often happen long before a potential customer may be looking to hire a tradesperson to support with a home improvement project.

Strong branding and professional marketing materials can make a real difference, helping tradespeople stand out, build trust, and grow their business. At VistaPrint, we know how important it is to showcase the full breadth of your services to attract potential customers. That’s why we provide a range of services from logos and branding to business cards and flyers, t-shirts to van wraps allowing tradespeople to focus on the job they do best.”

Emma Grant, Head of Trade Experience at Checkatrade said: “We’ve teamed up with VistaPrint to back the nation’s tradespeople. This partnership is here to help our members stand out, win more work, and show off what they do best — with branding that works as hard as they do.

“From exclusive discounts to professionally designed print and digital materials, it’s all about giving tradespeople the tools to grow their business with confidence.”

This news comes as VistaPrint are running a competition in partnership with Checkatrade to win a full brand makeover, a £3,000 cash prize, among other goodies to help tradies trade up their branding. The Show Up competition is open exclusively to Checkatrade members who can enter on VistaPrint’s website.

Entries are open and will close at 18:00pm on Monday, 7th July 2025. Checkatrade members can enter via www.vistaprint.co.uk/hub/checkatrade-competition. Full terms and conditions can be viewed on the entry page.