BRITAIN: A NATION OF HANDY MANDYS
(20 March 2006)

New research from Halifax Home Insurance reveals 5.3 million women believe they are the best at home improvements in their household. Halifax Home Insurance has termed these women 'Handy Mandys', women who take responsibility for DIY in their household. Far from the stereotype of being afraid of chipping nails or getting paint in their hair, 2.5 million British women who live with boyfriends or husbands do the majority of DIY rather than relying on their partners to take responsibility for home improvements.

However, men are less ready to accept the new balance of DIY power in the home. Just 4% of British men admit their girlfriends or wives do the majority of DIY around the house. Only 7% of British men who live with girlfriends or wives admit the women in their lives are more skilled than they are with screwdrivers, wrenches and power tools.

Vicky Emmott, senior underwriter at Halifax Home Insurance, said: “Halifax receives around 50,000 claims a year as a result of DIY disasters, such as breaking pipes or drilling through wires. DIYers, whether they are, ‘Handy Andys’ or ‘Handy Mandys’ should make sure that they are covered for any potential mishaps and avoid damage to the property or themselves when undertaking home improvements.”

Female tradespeople, such as plumbers or electricians, still have a long way to go to win the confidence of the British public. A staggering two thirds (67%) of British women surveyed stated they would feel more comfortable letting a male rather than a female tradesperson into their home. Additionally, three quarters (75%) of British men would prefer to let a male tradesperson into their homes compared to just 25% of preferring a female.

Vicky continues: “The likes of Linda Barker and Carol Smilie have done a great job inspiring Handy Mandys across the country to get their hands dirty and get involved with DIY. However, this trend is not reflected in support for female tradeswomen. It appears Britons’ still stick with traditional perceptions when it comes to tradespeople as the vast majority would still prefer to let a man do all the hard work.”

The most independent female DIYers can be found in the North - 20% of those who live with their boyfriend or husbands do DIY around the house themselves compared with 16% in the Midlands and 17% in the South.

Most independent female DIYers around the country:

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