There has been a consumer price inflation decline of 2.1% for tools and equipment for house and garden, whereas rising prices for gardens, plants and flowers resulted in an increase in consumer price inflation. Brits are turning to Google for not only garden and outdoor DIY inspiration, but also for technical issues they can tackle themselves in the home.

A study by Dickies Workwear has taken a look at what DIY terms Brits are searching for the most. 

July 2020: With isolation and staying at home, our constantly busy lives have slowed down over the last few months. All those tasks we’d previously put off and “saved for a rainy day” are now popping back up on our to-do lists. 

In light of this, trade lifestyle experts Dickies Workwear have created a study that takes a deep dive into the inflation of the DIY sector and what tasks and tips Brits are Googling while stuck at home.

Consumer inflation for DIY

Movements in consumer price inflation represent the costs of goods and services and measures the rising and falling prices that people pay in a particular period of time. Although DIY has seen an increase in interest during the lockdown period, it's interesting to see that consumer price inflation has increased and declined for particular sectors.

Interestingly, although people are doing a lot more DIY, there has been a decline of 2.1% in consumer price inflation for tools and equipment for house and garden, comparing May 2020 to May 2019. Perhaps people already had all the tools and equipment needed for projects and are finally putting them to good use, without needing to purchase many more items.

On the other hand, rising prices for gardens, plants and flowers resulted in a 2.5% increase in consumer price inflation during the same time period. Although it’s no shock that March would be a busy month for gardening due to the start of Spring, as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus, lockdown may have also correlated with this increase in consumer inflation.

Unsurprisingly, we can see a decline in consumer price inflation of 2.2% for household appliances, fitting and repairs in May 2020 compared to the previous year. Are people attempting to fix their own appliances rather than asking for professional help?

What DIY terms are Brits really searching for?

In correlation with the average temperatures rapidly rising and summer approaching, it seems Brits are turning to Google for not only garden and outdoor DIY inspiration, but also for technical issues in the home.

Some of the other areas that saw a drastic increase in searches from April 2019 to April 2020 include:

With many of us forced to now focus on home DIY tasks,  electrical DIY searches and tasks have sparked Brits’ imagination.

Electrical cable - 3600 vs 6600
Outdoor electrical cable - 1000 vs 2400
Socket wiring - 880 vs 1900
Hot tub electrical - 110 vs 390
Running electric to shed - 260 vs 480
 

It appears that Brits have also been trying their hands at tackling plumbing issues around their homes.

How to fix a leaky tap - 1600 vs 4400
How to fix a dripping mixer tap - 70 vs 480
DIY drain unblocking - 140 vs 480
How to fix a leaking outside tap - 70 vs 260

Mark Tapper from Dickies Workwear said: “During this isolation period, it’s good to see people wanting to learn new skills and use their time at home productively to tick items off their to-do list. With the internet at our fingertips, it's easier than ever to keep busy during this time with DIY tasks.

At Dickies, we encourage more Brits to improve their homes and build their self-reliance by learning new DIY skills, making sure they stay safe whilst doing so. “

You can view the full study here, as well as the full list of tips for DIY newbies.