Plumbing trade supplier Plumbfix is predicting installers will have their work cut out for them this year, as more households look to improve their homes.

According to the Kingfisher European Home Report Survey 2012, 48% of UK households plan to stay in their current home for 10 years or more, opting for home improvement to accommodate changing needs and tastes. Research among tradesmen carried out in December 2012, by Screwfix, supports this finding, with 56% rating home improvement as more popular than going green or doing up newly-bought homes.

While homeowners may have a number of DIY home improvements planned, most will be relying on a tradesman to get the job done. Eight out of 10 who responded to the Kingfisher survey said they would not feel comfortable embarking on a plumbing project themselves, and 42% said they would use a tradesperson for small repair jobs around the home. Only one in seven said they would be happy to install a new bathroom without the help of a plumber.

This survey is welcome news for the trade, according to Sandra Everett, senior marketing manager at Plumbfix. "Our customer insight found a third of tradesman cited lack of new business leads as their biggest barrier to business growth," she said. "These latest stats highlight strong consumer demand for home improvement projects, bolstered by the fact that they will be relying on a tradesman to get these jobs done, painting a brighter picture for the trade. There is a clear opportunity for the trade to capitalise on this trend, but working efficiently and effectively will be a key priority."

More than half of the tradesmen Screwfix questioned said they are planning to improve their skills in 2013 to meet this demand, and 46% plan to take advantage of new technology to improve the way they work.