DIY disasters cost Brits £235m

11/10/2010

House-proud Brits spent £235million putting right DIY disasters in the last year, according to new research from Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks. The Banks found that 1 in 10 'DIYers' had paid out up to £500 to fix their own DIY.

The Banks' research suggests that almost 5 million households made a mess of at least some of the decorating, plastering, plumbing and gardening DIY jobs they undertook in the last twelve months. Of those, half admitted paying anywhere up to £500 to rectify their DIY mistakes.

Londoners were the least likely to undertake any DIY (42%), and also proved to be the worst at actually doing it with almost a third (30%) admitting to botching some DIY in the last year. The Scots, by comparison, were by far the most competent when it came to repairs and improvements around the home; with 85.5% successfully completing jobs without paying extra to put it right.

Of the 2000 UK residents surveyed on behalf of the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks, a quarter (26%) said their DIY disasters had made them wish they had never undertaken the project and had called on a suitably qualified tradesman to carry out the work in the first place. Londoners were the most likely to regret not calling in an expert (38%) while the Welsh were least likely (15%) to question their actions despite a DIY foul-up.

When households did call in the professionals to do work around their homes last year, it was most often because they lacked the skills themselves. The research suggests that almost 14 million households employed a tradesman to complete work around the home in the last year. Of these, almost two thirds said that it was due to their own lack of skills and 1 in 5 because it was more convenient.

Steve Reid, Retail Director at Clydesdale Bank, said: "A home is probably the biggest purchase most of us will ever make so it's important to maintain and protect that investment. DIY may seem to be an easy way to save money but without the skills or tools it can end up costing a lot more to put right. In same instances it can even ruin a home."

"Owning a home means more than just the cost of buying it, so it is sensible to set up a savings plan to cover both unforeseen repairs and regular maintenance, especially as winter approaches. Homeowners should also remember to inform their insurer if they make significant improvements."