7 August 2025

Half-Done Homes

Almost 16 million Brits are living with unfinished home projects¹according to research from Ding.

Nearly a third of UK adults (30%) admit they’ve started a DIY job in the last year that’s still not finished.
Lack of time (28%), motivation (35%) and skills (24%) are the biggest barriers to completing home maintenance projects – and 18% admit they feel guilty about their lack of progress.
Ding is urging homeowners to down tools and call in the experts instead.

New research from home maintenance and repair brand Ding reveals a nation stuck in a DIY rut with nearly a third (30%) of UK adults admitting they’ve started a job in the past year that remains stubbornly unfinished – equating to 15.9 million UK adults across the nation.

The most commonly abandoned jobs are painting, and decorating, accounting for a staggering 80% of all incomplete projects. Beyond that, Brits are downing tools when it comes to:

electrical work (23%)
plumbing (18%)
heating or radiator upgrades (14%).

And the emotional toll is real. One in three say they feel frustrated living with their half-done handiwork, and nearly one in five (18%) are left feeling guilty every time they see the job they didn’t finish.

When asked what’s stopping them from finishing:

More than half (54%) of those surveyed say they still plan to get the job done eventually.
One in three (35%) admit they’ve simply lost motivation.
28% ran out of time.
A quarter (24%) said they didn’t have the right tools or skills to continue.
18% gave up on their own efforts and hired a professional instead.

Chris Houghton, Home Expert at Ding, commented:

“We’re a nation of great starters, but when life, time, and motivation get in the way, DIY quickly turns into less of a priority. It’s important to acknowledge that sometimes jobs are best left to the experts – who you can trust to get the job done correctly.”

While for many it's tempting to take a job into your own hands, especially when how-to videos make everything look easy, the reality is often less picture-perfect. To help homeowners take back control, Ding’s experts share their three top tips.

Top tips to avoid half-done homes

Be honest about skills and time: Watching a five-minute tutorial isn’t the same as having five years on the job. Know your limits and be realistic about what you can achieve in the hours you actually have free.
Cost it out: Between repeat trips to the DIY shop, wasted materials, and expensive tools you may only use once, these projects can get surprisingly pricey. Getting a fixed quote from a professional may actually save you money – and a lot of stress.
Book a vetted expert: With Ding membership you can secure fixed-price plumbing, heating and electrical repairs at the tap of a button. No chasing quotes. No unfinished corners. No stress.

Whatever your job—just Ding it.

Become a member today

For just £5/month and get direct access to trusted plumbers, electricians, and gas engineers—ready to tackle your immediate and future repairs.

About the research:

Unless otherwise stated, data is based on Opinium commissioned research amongst 2,000 UK adults (18+) in May 2025.

¹All figures, unless otherwise stated, are based on OnePoll research conducted in July 2025 among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults (18+). Data has been weighted to be nationally representative. Population estimates are based on the latest ONS data (2024), which places the UK adult population at approximately 53 million. Where extrapolations are made (e.g. “15.9 million”), these are calculated by applying the percentage finding to that population base.