Recent figures from a popular high street building society have revealed that Britons spend around £670 million a year fixing failed DIY attempts.
The problem lies with the fact that many partners feel pressurised by their spouses into undertaking DIY jobs that they are inexperienced and/or unqualified to do, with 31% of women expecting their male partners to undertake such jobs.
Another problem is that many homeowners overestimate the value of their "improvements", with DIY additions knocking an estimated £350m off the value of households across the country.
Swimming pools are an excellent example, costing anything from £2,000 to £20,000 to install and adding no value to a home, in fact for buyers with small children they may even discourage their decision to purchase. Other examples of this include; patio decking, wooden flooring and converting garages into gyms - all of which cost considerably more than the value they will add to your home.
There is of course, a wealth of things you can do to your home that will dramatically increase its value such as a loft conversion or adding an extension, especially a multi-story extension. Such additions are obviously not everyday DIY jobs, and generally require planning permission.
This is also where many homeowners fall short, by failing to check the legal and financial backing they have before performing any DIY jobs. Many insurers insist that homeowners enlist the help of qualified tradesmen to perform any DIY work, thus reducing the chances of any accidents. It is generally an essential requirement to declare any major work you do to your home to your insurer, so they can update your policy.
Although this may seem like the more costly option at first, not only is there the risk of invalidating your insurance policy to consider, but also the risk of seriously harming yourself. For example, one in four people have hurt themselves while undertaking a DIY job and this can be during the most seemingly simplest of jobs such as putting up shelves or flat-pack furniture.
For these reasons, home insurance companies suggest adding accidental damage cover before undertaking any DIY jobs. Of course having appropriate house insurance is a must even if you are not planning on improving your home. The internet is an excellent source to find cheap home insurance.