Brits 'spend £525 a year on home improvements'

Research conducted by adverts website Gumtree suggests that the average Briton spends around £525 every year on improving their home.

However, it was also discovered that a significant number (11 per cent) are unable to budget how much they are going to spend as they do not know how much a plumber or a builder charges an hour.

Meanwhile, 15 per cent say they face a long wait before they can secure the services of a tradesman - presumably as a result of a supply shortage.

"The bottom line is that while most Britons know the average to leave as a tip in a restaurant, most of us don't have a clue how much we should be paying for basic repair jobs like a leaking tap, broken window and a handyman," Gumtree spokeswoman Sophy Silver told the Channel 4 website.

A regional price discrepancy was also identified, with London found to be the most expensive place to hire a tradesman, while their Bristol counterparts charge the least.


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