DIY costing Britons millions

So-called ‘bodge it yourself’ (BIY) Britons spend £670 million every year fixing home improvement disasters, according to the latest figures from Halifax Home Insurance.

With two bank holiday weekends falling in May this year, millions of Brits will have turned their hand to DIY this month. However the research from Halifax suggests that it is more a case of BIY than DIY for the 4.1 million people who see their home renovation dreams turn into nightmares every year.

The study also found that homeowners in the Midlands are the most liable to experience DIY disasters, with costs for bodged DIY jobs in that region alone amounting to a staggering £272 million every year. Conversely, the Scots are the most adept at handling their power tools, spending only £4.6 million a year (£146 on average a go) fixing DIY errors.

With Halifax estimating that 11 million households (46 per cent) are currently planning home improvements costing an estimated £153 billion in total (£13,800 per project), the insurer is urging homeowners to hire professionals for tasks they are not qualified for and ensure that they have adequate home insurance cover. Halifax estimates that 36 per cent of homeowners not have buildings cover and 22 per cent have no contents cover either.

“Whilst well planned and executed home improvements can add significant value to a home, getting it wrong can be a disaster,” explained Vicky Emmott, senior manager of underwriting at Halifax Home Insurance. “We’d advise anyone planning any major improvements to their home to employ qualified and reputable tradesmen, rather than going it alone.”

“Indeed trying to tackle certain areas that you are not qualified for such as electrics or plumbing, could invalidate your home insurance and leave you liable for the cost of any subsequent damage,” she warned.

Figures from Lloyds TSB for last May indicate that there was a 20 per cent rise in accidental damage claims made during May, compared with previous months. In fact, records show that bank holidays lead to a spike in the number of claims year after year.

Jamie Oliver, not Handy Andy

A simple explanation for the high bill when it comes to DIY disasters could be that Brits, men in particular, are no longer as confident with a box of tools as they may once have been. According to research from Prudential Home Insurance, 44 per cent of adult males feel more comfortable cooking a meal than carrying out basic home improvements.

The insurer found that only a quarter (23 per cent) felt confident putting up shelves, while only 14 per cent believed they would be able to move a light switch or a plug. This trend could be a sign of changing times. Young adults (18-24 year olds) are the least likely to own DIY tools, while the over 60s are three times more confident (23 per cent) that they could change a plug compared to 25-34 year olds (seven per cent).

Phil Southgate, media relations manager at Prudential Home Insurance, said: “Spring bank holidays often entice men to dust down their toolkits and engage with a bit of home improvement. However, as very few men profess to being confident with DIY tasks, there are likely to be a number of wannabe Jamie Olivers well out of their comfort zone and at risk of doing a botch job.”