B&Q owner buys DIY app NeedHelp

B&Q owner Kingfisher is to launch a home improvement business in the UK to help customers resolve DIY disasters or carry out more complex work after a boom in sales this year.

The company has bought NeedHelp, an online platform connecting tradespeople with households for tasks such as kitchen installation, painting, flooring or bathroom renovation, for €10m (£8.9m).

The retailer already has a relationship with the firm in France through its Castorama and Brico Depot stores, but it is the first time the service will be offered to customers in the UK.

There already are a handful of similar rival apps such as TaskRabbit.

Kingfisher said the acquisition was “an important step forward” as it tries to be more agile and focused on customer experience. It has been pushing ahead with a new turnaround plan under chief executive Thierry Garnier. 

He said: “To serve customers effectively today, we need to be more digital and service orientated, while leveraging our strong store assets.

“Online services marketplaces are key to the future of home improvement retail and NeedHelp is an established and fast-growing player in this arena.