New research from hipages has found Australian households have accumulated an astounding $40 billion worth of maintenance and repair works that have gone undone around the home in the past year.
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The majority of these jobs are put off for six months or more, though time intensive jobs such as painting are more likely to be put off for more than a year.
The research also found that jobs where a tradie would be required including concreting (2.3 million jobs), plastering (2.6 million jobs) and carpentry (3.3 million jobs), are likely to be put off for six months or more.
While most of the nation procrastinates - with 92 per cent of households saying that they have at least one outstanding project/job - Stuart Tucker, hipages' chief customer officer, warns of the costly consequences of delaying these jobs for too long.
"We know there are a variety of factors which delay us completing jobs around the home, whether it be lack of time, expertise or money," he says.
"For the majority of repair and maintenance jobs though, the longer you leave them the worse they'll get. This often results in a more costly job than it would have been in the first place."
Homeowner Debbie Rivers knows of these consequences all too well. She put off clearing her gutters for a decade, a job that should be done at least once a year.
"I had to pay attention when my roof started to leak as a result of not clearing my gutters for so long.
"When I finally had a tradie come to tend to my gutters, they found they were full of plants which had started growing inside them. Unfortunately ignoring the issue for so many years only made it worse!"
While Debbie isn't the only homeowner who has experienced this, hipages' research found that 80 per cent of homeowners do recognise there are consequences for putting off repairs and maintenance to the home.
"If you can afford to, it's best to manage maintenance and repairs as soon as possible with a licenced professional as this usually has the least expensive outcome," says Stuart.
"At hipages, we offer up to three quotes for any job posted, allowing you to choose a quote that fits within your budget from a trusted licensed tradie."
To help homeowners get onto their at-home to-do list, Stuart Tucker has these top tips:
1. Stop thinking and start doing. Everyone puts off home improvements but nothing feels better than getting the job done. hipages is an online tradie marketplace that can help you get it done via your computer, tablet or smartphone.
You'll get up to three quotes from tradies in your local area, allowing you to choose a tradie that fits within your budget and timeframe.
2. Know your role. 68 per cent of homeowners say they have attempted but failed to complete repairs around the home themselves.
It's important to recognise what you may be able to accomplish yourself, and call in the professionals for anything that can't be DIY'd, especially plumbing and electrical work.
3. Prioritise urgent jobs. Always address the problems around the home that could result in further damage first. Then you can move onto other projects.
4. Create a plan. Planning is key to a successful renovation.
Write out a list of all the jobs that need to be done in priority order, marking which jobs you'll need a tradie for.