Whether it’s a leaky pipe or a fresh lick of paint, most homeowners engage in DIY tasks around the home. But some tasks are more enjoyable than others, and British homeowners aren’t afraid to make themselves heard when it comes to which DIY tasks they love or loathe. 

To gain a deeper understanding of how Brits feel about DIY, Toolstation investigated the most stressful and most calming DIY tasks. From gutter cleaning to carpet removal, discover which DIY tasks homeowners are fond of, and which are less than enjoyable. 

Data taken from Reddit shows that homeowners find gardening to be the most calming task of all. Following closely behind are interior design and wallpapering in second and third, showing a positive attitude towards interior aesthetics. Shelf crafting takes fourth place in the rank, with many people finding it therapeutic to create and install their own shelves. Finally, tiling scores well with homeowners, earning its place in the top five most calming DIY tasks. 

Surprisingly, Brits also like to kick back and relax by cleaning their gutters, which takes spot number six in the rank. Feng shui was also found to be a calming task, as well as woodworking, weeding and painting. 

So, which DIY task do Brits find the most stressful? Our data shows that homeowners are most agitated when installing new flooring, with this mammoth job taking the top spot as the most stressful DIY task. 

Coming in second and third are carpet cleaning and carpet removal, undoubtedly demanding tasks. In fourth place comes fixing damp, followed by plumbing leaks and roof repair. Home security measures such as installing locks and CCTV also evoke negative emotions in homeowners, coming in with a high stress score. Rounding out the table are drain issues and fitting new doors in spots nine and ten.

Many of these tasks require specialist tools and a great deal of expertise, which is why the average homeowner may find these particularly stressful. If you find yourself daunted by the idea of a large DIY task and don’t have the proper tools or skillset, it’s much better to rely on a trustworthy tradesperson than to suffer at home. Not only will the task be done quicker and with less stress, but your project will be finished to professional standards.

To find the most disgusting DIY tasks, we studied Reddit posts to see which tasks were accompanied by feelings of disgust within posts. Unsurprisingly, soil mulching, carpet cleaning, drain leaks, drain unclogging and gutter maintenance were found to be the five most disgusting tasks. 

Soil mulching was found to be the most disgusting task, with carpet cleaning only one point behind. Also on the list are plumbing tasks– fixing drain leaks and drain unclogging. Unfortunately, these tasks – though messy – are necessary, but they can be made more bearable by wearing the correct workwear to keep your skin and clothes protected from dirt and mess.

As well as being considered a stressful and disgusting task, carpet cleaning was found to be the most anger-inducing DIY task. Installing floors also instilled lots of anger, followed by carpet replacement, fixing water damage, and roof repairs.

Calling a tradesperson to help out is the best way to avoid unnecessary stress and anger. Experienced tradespeople tackle these tasks every day, and can efficiently solve problems and complete tricky installations without batting an eyelid.