Many individuals have started to work from home due to recent changes in job practices. This has resulted in a rise in house upgrades and DIY increases. People throughout the UK have been concentrating their energy and attention on their houses over the past 18 months, maximising places where they can work, play, and rest, from a new floor plan to the building of a new abode.

The most famous DIY spots in the United Kingdom

We discovered that 359,013 persons sought planning approval in the UK last year, with 87 per cent of those applications being accepted. This left 46,672 persons without planning authorisation and unable to finish their projects. When it comes to the sheer numbers of individuals eager to start building projects, we discovered which areas of the UK were most desirable and were designated as DIY spots.

Surprisingly, Corby, a town in the East Midlands, had the most planning applications in 2020, with 5,377. Following closely behind are Westminster in London and Broxtowe in the East Midlands, each of which had over 5,000 applications throughout the 12 months. West Oxfordshire has also been a popular location for house renovations, with 4,207 people asking planning permission to work on their homes.

Each city was graded on three primary criteria: how readily accessible materials and supplies were, how simple it was to hire a professional to perform the work instead, and overall interest in DIY.

DIY Trends

Brandon Hire Station examined the search traffic for various recent DIY trends, including those that soared in popularity during the lockdown, such as ‘wood panelling,’ ‘pallet furniture,’ and ‘garden bar,’ to evaluate the overall interest in DIY for each area.

Wall panelling

According to the most recent statistics, wall panelling is the most popular and Googled DIY trend! The process of putting up panels on one or more of a room’s interior walls to create a physical structure or impact is known as wall panelling. This is said to have started in the late 15th century and grew popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. It has recently grown in popularity since it can offer a traditional and luxurious appeal to any space or residence. This straightforward procedure enables you to transform a place’s appearance completely. So, whether you want to add a nice touch to your space or modernise it and make it more structured, wall panelling is the way to go.

Pallet furniture

Green concerns have grown more relevant than ever with the recent COP26. Pallet furniture is one of the most recent trends. Pallet furniture enables you to construct rustic-looking furniture for a fraction of the cost, whether you’re freshening up your yard with a bench set and table or creating yourself an outdoor bar with stools. After obtaining the essential building materials, all you need are the tools, some paint or gloss, and some nails!

Garden bar

With the limitations in place in the UK for the past year and more, many individuals have discovered a new enthusiasm for their gardens, with some even establishing their garden bars! With pubs closing and families staying at home, the bar boom exploded, with over 3,600 monthly searches in London alone for ‘Garden Bars!’ There are various methods to create your garden bar, both in small and more significant forms, from transforming your old shed into your gin club to completely installing your keg machine with taps! So, if you’re seeking to build up your bar, we encourage you to jump on this DIY trend and do it yourself!