Most men can8217;t do basic DIY tasks: study

And one in five said their attempts to fix a problem only caused more damage leading them to calling for help,spending hundreds of extra pounds.

People who assume most men can turn their hand to some of the more basic tasks,such as drilling a few holes to fit a curtain rail are wrong, Chris Burke of RatedPeople.com,which commissioned the study,said.

On bigger tasks 8212; such as doing the plumbing in bathroom suites or fitting kitchens 8212; sometimes its just better to source outside help rather than risk things going wrong, he added.

Partners who automatically book handymen and long hours spent at work were cited as the two main reasons for their lack of DIY know-how.

Lack of education could also be to blame as nearly half claimed that no one had ever taught them how to carry out straightforward tasks.