Calls for builders, plumbers and electricians will be three times higher on Tuesday May 27, after a bank holiday weekend of 'Destroy It Yourself' work.
The British obsession with DIY is set to cause a 300% rise in requests for tradesmen following the Bank Holiday weekend, according to Quotatis.co.uk, the online service that connects people with local service providers..

DIY disasters will lead to a surge in demand for trade professionals following botch-ups by the British householder who would be better off taking it easy during their time off.

Quotatis.co.uk has found that requests for tradesmen rises dramatically the day after a bank holiday Monday but
the Saturday, Sunday and Monday account for just a tenth of calls received all week.

'With time on their hands at the weekend, people are tempted to have a go themselves if something needs fixing at home,' said Derek Vaughan, managing director at Quotatis.

'But more often than not, something goes wrong. By Tuesday morning, people concede defeat and are ready to call in the professionals.'

'The credit crunch is seeing more people carry out home improvements as an alternative to moving house, but DIY in the traditional sense has now come to mean 'Destroy It Yourself'',' said Vaughan.

'Ultimately, ordinary homeowners are novices, and most jobs actually require an expert. By calling in a radesperson to do the job from the start, people will end up saving time and money.'

Quotatis (www.quotatis.co.uk) is an online service that connects consumers with tradespeople in the local area.
Users looking for help with home improvements submit a brief job specification on the website and Quotatis contact up to five firms that mach the request, allowing consumers to compare quotes.