Principality Building Society polled 2,000 first-time buyers in England and Wales on their habits when moving in. Nearly three quarters (70%) would prioritise setting up a WiFi connection or plugging in their TV over having a sofa to sit on while watching it (40%).

The survey also showed that just over a quarter (26%) of first-time buyers would turn to online how-to guides or books for DIY tips, compared to other sources of information such as mum and dad. However, once they’ve moved in and put their feet up, 23% of first-time buyers admit it could take them a year or more to tackle any DIY in their new place.

Nearly 30% of new homeowners would go straight to an expert if something malfunctioned in their house, seeking professional help from the likes of plumbers or electricians, but over half (56%) would be happy to strip wallpaper themselves in their new home.

Principality published the light-hearted poll as it launched First Time Trier, an online toolkit for first-time buyers.

Principality’s customer director Julie-Ann Haines said: “As a nation, we’re are so interested in getting online and that can often be the first thing on our minds when we’re working, travelling or even when we’ve just moved into a new home, picking technology over getting the house actually feeling like our own.

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“And once we’re hooked up to the web, online tutorials are changing the way we do our houses up, with first-time buyers turning to digital guides over their DIY dads.”