New research conducted by a prominent UK home insurance company suggests Britons should think twice before undertaking DIY home improvement jobs themselves. Despite being one of the country’s favourite pastimes – over 80% of UK men enjoy DIY work around the house – the research has shown that botched DIY jobs could reduce a home’s value by up to 5% (as at 1 May , 2010).

As the UK housing market appears to be strengthening, many Britons are turning to DIY home improvements to increase the value of their property. Structural building projects such as loft conversions can add as much as 8% to the selling price, provided they are completed successfully.

However, estate agents find that this is not always the case and recommend that homeowners who hope to increase their property’s value consult the professionals before attempting any DIY work. This also applies to smaller jobs such as renovating a kitchen or servicing a boiler.

A similar home insurance survey found that 500,000 homeowners were prepared to try their own hand at potentially dangerous tasks, despite nearly 90% of the people surveyed admitting to knowing that jobs such as gas work should be left to the professionals.

A bungled DIY job could also potentially invalidate the home insurance cover in place, leaving homeowners out of pocket if something were to go awry. Research also revealed disappointing returns on investment, even when DIY work has been done well.

While 20% of people surveyed believed that redecorating would add the most value to their home, 70% of estate agents said that it would make no difference. According to 20% of estate agents surveyed, a new kitchen would have little impact on potential offers. An additional 64% of estate agents believed that garden improvements would be a waste of time.

About Prudential Insurance

Prudential is a UK provider of affordable home insurance. Their home insurance policies offer up to £250 towards the cost of emergency repairs in the home – without affecting no-claims bonuses. Visit http://www.pru.co.uk/insurance_protection/home_insurance/ for more information or a free home insurance quote.