Take cover or risk DIY nightmare
MILLIONS of Britons are lining up DIY projects this bank holiday weekend, but without careful preparation many will end up in a fix.
DIY disasters can be costly and your household insurer may refuse to foot the bill unless you have taken the right precautions and ensured that proper cover is in place.
The average Briton spends £210 a year on DIY, according to research from credit card provider MBNA, but if something goes wrong it could drill a far deeper hole in your pocket.
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Two out of three Britons will be doing some form of DIY this weekend, according to home insurance specialists Policy Expert.
Head of operations Adam Powell says: “DIY can be rewarding and a great money-saver, but it can also cost you dearly if you are too ambitious or have an accident.”
One in five has suffered a costly disaster in the past, yet many still do not take time to check if their home insurance policy will cover mishaps.
DIY can be rewarding and a great money-saver, but it can also cost you dearly if you are too ambitious or have an accident
Powell adds: “Check whether you have accidental damage cover, which may protect you if something goes wrong.
“Our research shows that two out of five homeowners aren’t even sure if they have this valuable policy extra.”
Accidental damage insurance may cover you for costly slip-ups such as drilling through an electrical wire or water pipe, or spilling paint on your sofa or carpet.
However, you must also be able to show you have taken reasonable steps to protect your possessions, for example, using dust sheets to prevent paint splatters.
Powell says: “If you do not have accidental damage cover you can buy it as an add-on extra for an average cost of just £20 a year.”
Britons are no longer a nation of handymen and this puts them at greater risk of getting hammered by costly errors.
More than one in three admit that they cannot do simple DIY tasks without help, with one in four unable to change a fuse.
Younger people are least handy. One in three aged between 18 and 24 does not even own a toolbox, while more than eight out of 10 are unable to fix a dripping tap, according to a survey by JJ Roofing Supplies.
DIY skills used to be passed on by the parents, but these days many younger people learn by watching YouTube videos instead.
Darren Searles, key accounts manager at JJ Roofing, says: “While this can give you a rough idea of how certain jobs are done it is not enough on its own and could leave you prone to making costly errors.”
