The UK's busy contractors have less time to work on their own homes than ever before, according to new research from Newey & Eyre

More than half (52%) of respondents said that as a result of the recession they have had no choice but to work longer hours, whether in order to stay extra competitive, exceed customer expectations or maximise every job opportunity to make as much money possible.

Of these, almost a third work an additional 5-10 hours a week, while a further third put in as much as an extra ten or more hours a week.

The electrical wholesaler has attributed this to the increase in consumer expectation, with 91% of contractors asserting that today’s customers are increasingly demanding more for their money.

Almost nine out of ten (87%) of the UK’s grafter contractors are severely limited to how much time they can now spend in employing their handy skills at home, with 92% saying this leaves them thoroughly frustrated. It would seem that this is by no means a recipe for a happy home with a third (33%) saying the lack of time to complete their own DIY projects causes disputes with their partner.

Of the most neglected jobs, two thirds (64%) have had to ditch the decorating, a third (34%) have benched the gardening and a fifth (22%) have put the bathroom firmly on the backburner. For many of these contractors such vital home-improvement jobs have been neglected for over a year.

Luke Biddle, marketing manager at Newey & Eyre comments: “As a business with a vested interest in our customers, we are, of course, acutely aware of the pressures and time constraints they currently face in light of the turbulent economy. This is why we continue to place such an emphasis on product efficiency, both through our key supplier offers and Newlec own-brand, in order to provide solutions which can aid efficiency on the job and, in turn, can help our customers save time and money.

“By investing in such time-effective, high-performance solutions we are confident that our hardworking, talented tradesmen from across the country can have a little more time to spend in putting their skills to full use at home.”