New Research Highlights Costs of Home DIY Attempts

Often called “Destroy it Yourself” home DIY can be a good thing, if you have the skills and knowledge. But otherwise it can end up costing money, or cause injury, and this research highlights how it could lead to an insurance claim when things go awry;

UK homeowners admit that DIY mistakes have cost them £270 in damages, on average. That’s according to new research by Confused.com home insurance experts, which looks at Brits’ biggest renovation regrets and the impact on home insurance.

This comes as, in the last year, searches for DIY home renovations have increased, with searches for ambitious renovations like loft conversions (25.3K) and outdoor kitchens (26.8K) soaring on TikTok and Google.

Homeowners DIY to save money, but it doesn’t always pay off

Over half (55%) of UK homeowners choose to DIY to save money, while almost 1 in 4 (23%) simply enjoy the projects. However, those who’ve made mistakes had to fork out £270 to rectify the issue.

DIY mistakes are common, with more than a fifth (42%) of respondents admitting to something going wrong while carrying out a renovation project themselves. The 3 most common renovation tasks where Brits made a mistake were basement or cellar conversions (64%), garage transformations (62%), and structural roof repairs or replacements (59%).

Of those that made a mistake, 1 in 3 (30%) revealed it caused major damage outside of the task itself, like a burst pipe. And half (50%) had to call out a professional to fix the problem.

The DIY tasks that homeowners regret

The study revealed that almost 1 in 3 (30%) homeowners who have carried out a major DIY task themselves regret not hiring a professional.

And just over 1 in 4 (27%) had regretted personally taking on a DIY home renovation project. Plumbing tops the list of regrets, with almost 3 in 5 (58%) homeowners wishing they had avoided it. Bathroom renovations and basement conversions follow closely, both leaving more than half (57%) of homeowners feeling regret.

Other highly regretted tasks include replacing windows or doors (54%) and roof repairs (50%). These are all complex jobs that demand specialist skills.

DIY tasks and the percentage of Brits who regretted personally carrying them out:

Based on responses from homeowners who have personally carried out each specific renovation task.

UK homeowners are taking on tasks above their skill set, risking their insurance policy

It’s no surprise that people often regret taking on complex renovation tasks, such as plumbing, bathroom refits, and basement conversions, themselves. For renovations like these, it’s important to hire a professional who has the required skills and qualifications. If damage is caused while DIYing a job that requires specific expertise, insurers may not pay out.

Homeowners must also notify insurers before starting major renovation projects, otherwise their insurance policy could be invalid. And if things go wrong, homeowners could be left out of pocket. Yet more than 1 in 4 (28%) respondents couldn’t identify which home renovation projects required notifying their insurance provider.

Always tell your insurer about anything that changes the structure, or value, of your home. This could be planned structural changes, layout alterations, or loft, cellar or basement conversions.

Here are some ways to protect your home while carrying out renovations:

• Know when to call your insurer: Before starting any work that alters the structure or value of your home, inform your insurer. Failing to tell them may completely invalidate your policy, leaving you vulnerable to out-of-pocket expenses.

• Get contents insurance: This will protect your personal possessions if they are damaged, or go missing, during the renovation process.

• Don’t do jobs you’re not qualified for: Hire a professional with liability insurance to help with jobs you’re not qualified, or confident, to do.

• Add on legal protection cover: If you’re going to make big structural changes, get legal protection. It helps if any legal disputes come up with neighbours or professionals.

• Accidental Damage Coverage: To cover any damage made from cosmetic jobs, like putting up shelves or changing carpets, you’ll need to add on accidental damage coverage to your home insurance policy.

• Consider specialist renovation insurance: If your standard policy doesn’t cover major renovation works, you may need specialist renovation insurance to protect your property from renovation risks.

With so many Brits taking on DIY tasks, Matthew Harwood, home insurance expert at Confused.com, shares tips on protecting your home while carrying out  renovations:

“While jumping on the latest TikTok DIY trend might seem harmless, a standard home insurance policy may not cover you if something goes wrong.

“Before you start, consider adding accidental damage cover to your home insurance policy. This will cover cosmetic DIY tasks, like changing a carpet or putting up a shelf, if any damage occurs to permanent fixtures.

“Genuine mishaps happen to the best of us. However, accidental damage insurance does have its limits, like if you’re attempting to personally carry out a project you aren’t qualified to do. YouTube is great for decorative hacks, but if you aren’t qualified to carry out more complex projects, like plumbing or electrical work, it’s a good idea to hire an expert. In these cases, insurers may not pay out for any damages caused by yourself.

“If you’re taking on a major project that alters the structure of your property – you must inform your home insurer. More extensive modifications can impact your property value.”