Between 1984 and 2004, the statistics suggest that British spending on keeping their home in tiptop condition increased by 104 per cent.

There was also a significant increase over the last five years, with spending on DIY and home repairs rising by a quarter – significantly more than the 17 per cent increase in total consumer spending in the same period.

In 2004, British homeowners spent a total of £14.65 million on home maintenance according to the Halifax, compared with £11.76 million in 1999.

“There has certainly been a boom in spending on home maintenance and repairs over the past 20 years with a doubling in spending since 1984,” commented Martin Ellis, chief economist with the Halifax.

“Most of this increase has been in the form of DIY with households increasingly doing jobs around the home themselves.”
Homeowners in the south east spent the most on home maintenance according to the research, investing an average of £633.50 per year on repairs and DIY – equivalent to 16.1 per cent of total spending on housing and household goods.

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