Brits rely on the experts for home improvement

The UKs DIY skills seem to be slipping away, according to the results of a recent poll.

While it may be wise to call in the experts for important tasks such as constructing a conservatory or installing a roof light, the Ask.com survey discovered that only around two thirds (66 per cent) of people know how to wire a plug.

There also seems to be a skills gap when it comes to changing locks on doors or tiling bathrooms, with a third of people unable to do either.

It seems as though the knowledge of home maintenance is being left behind, according to Ask.com spokesperson Nadia Kelly.

"Many of these skills were once passed down from generation to generation but that no longer seems to happen," she explained.

"But suddenly people are discovering they can save money if they know how to darn a sock, fix a trouser hem or handle some basic DIY without having to call out an expert."

Improving the home can be a great way of boosting its value – something that will be useful after Chesterton Humberts noted there had been a 16.1 per cent fall in the average value of UK properties between February 2008 and February 2009.