DIY Hits Home Insurance Hard

By Julian Stone  
In an attempt to save money, many homeowners are undertaking their own home improvements but the result for some is disaster and a heavy cost for their home insurance.

With the pressure on household income hitting hard, tackling DIY is seen by some as a sure way to help save money. Others get the ‘DIY bug’ as a result of watching DIY programs on TV, such as Grand Designs.
According to a survey by Confused.com, 31% of of all those UK homeowners who participated, the budding Kevin McClouds, admitted to having DIY mishaps.
And the worry is that whilst undertaking the DIY to save money was the goal for many, more than you might expect have had to spend more money to put their diaster right.
For example, 6% of Scottish homeowners have paid over £1,000 in the past 24 months rectifying their DIY disaster.
As Mark Gabriel, Confused.com Home Insurance spokesman commented: “It is important to remember that television often makes tasks look easier than they are. In fact, some home insurance policies stipulate that only professionally accredited tradesmen should carry out certain work, so it is worth checking that you are not inadvertently rendering your insurance invalid by failing to read the small print.
“It is important to look at your home insurance policy to check that you are fully covered, should things go wrong, and to check their policy details carefully. It is also necessary to take extra safety precautions, as DIY disasters can cause accidents.”
With the help of Confused.com here are a few safety tips to help those little overzealous home improvers avoid some mishaps:

• Take time: It might be coming up to Christmas and everyone wants their homes looking nice for the family or unexpected guests, but make sure you plan what you want to do and don’t rush a job as accidents can happen.
• Don’t undertake DIY alone: Have someone on hand, just in case an accident happens.
• Be aware of harmful fumes: When painting, or using any material that generates toxic fumes or dust, keep the room well ventilated. Never smoke while painting or standing close to a freshly painted area.
• Dress for the occasion: Wear protective clothing including safety goggles, gloves and a dust mask when working with potentially hazardous materials such as glass or spray paint.
• Hire a professional if need be: Don’t try to tackle a job that is beyond your capabilities, hire a professional if need be – particularly important for any electrical jobs which should only be carried out by a qualified electrician.
• Don’t cave in: Take care not to remove any load-bearing walls – with nothing to support it, a heavy roof could cave in, and cause severe structural damage.
• Be safe: Be extremely careful and check that the equipment carries British or European quality marks. If it comes with a safety manual, it is important to read it!

MoneyHighStreet comments: “How devastating must it be to attempt DIY to save money, only to find you end up spending more that you expect just to put right your mistakes.
As you buy home insurance, as part of checking your cover, do check and indeed consider accidental damage cover. This may be included, for example in a high net worth policy, or maybe available as an add-on for standard policies – but there are exclusions, see our guide ‘Do you need accidental damage cover?’ for more on this.
Interestingly enough, a survey by Halifax Home Insurance, found that a level of ‘spatial awareness is required to be ‘a natural’ at DIY and yet two-thirds of Brits lack this – no wonder so many of us have disasters!