Grand designs not matched by grand handiwork
Brits do not seem to be able to translate their ideas for making their homes into palaces into reality, with over £670 million a year paid out to fix botched DIY jobs.According to Halifax Home Insurance, 11 million UK households are dreaming of grand designs for their property, yet 4.1 million of these will have to shell out for professionals to correct the job they started.People in the Midlands are the worst when it comes to handiwork, with £272 million per year spent in the region to get the professionals in to rectify DIY mistakes.However, Scots seem to know their stuff, only paying out £4.6 million to save them from home improvement hell.Halifax warns that anyone aspiring to be the next Bob the Builder should check that they are fully insured for accidental DIY damage, as 36 per cent of British homeowners have not invested in buildings insurance and 22 per cent have not covered their home contents with a policy.Halifax Home Insurance's senior manager of underwriting, Vicky Emmott, commented: "Whilst well planned and executed home improvements can add significant value to a home, getting it wrong can be a disaster."We'd advise anyone planning any major improvements to their home to employ qualified and reputable tradesmen, rather than going it alone. Indeed trying to tackle certain areas that you are not qualified for, such as electrics or plumbing, could invalidate your home insurance and leave you liable for the cost of any subsequent damage."Can we fix it? No, we can't.
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