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Most common DIY disasters

 

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Introduction

In Britain, we’re a nation of DIY addicts, with research by Sainsbury’s Finance estimating that 30 million British adults have performed a DIY activity in a bid to save money. These same people claim to have saved a collective £49 billion over the last 12 months.

While the savings are undeniable, DIY could prove to be a false economy if things go wrong. According to AA home insurance one in 10 DIY projects end in disaster and cost more than £100 to rectify. What’s more is that many homeowners risk invalidating their insurance.

Here we look at the most common DIY disasters and how to avoid them:

Top 10 common DIY disasters

  • Drilling through a water pipe
    Hitting a water pipe while putting up a shelf is a common mishap but one that is easy to avoid. DIY shops sell inexpensive detectors to identify where water pipes and electrical cables are hidden in the walls so they are worth the investment.
  • Spilling paint
    Knocking over paint while decorating a room happens only too frequently. You can avoid disaster by covering carpets and furniture with dust sheets. Generally a replacement carpet and fittings should be covered under the accidental damage aspect of a policy as long as you have extended cover and not just protection for electrical items.
  • Flat-pack furniture collapse
    Follow instructions carefully and you shouldn`t have issues, but to be safe, have a `dry run` before you begin. If the furniture does collapse you may be insured under the accidental damage terms of your home insurance.
  • Causing a home emergency
    If you cause damage that affects a utility such as the heating or power supply, or the drainage, several home insurers offer home emergency cover which provides a callout within 24hrs from a professional tradesman. Try and avoid tackling jobs that are beyond your capabilities.
  • Electrical shocks
    It is illegal for an unqualified person to undertake work on gas installations, so this is one time when professional help is mandatory. If you do feel confident to undertake work on standard electrical wiring, it must be certified by a qualified electrician once complete.
  • Smashed glass
    Fitting doors or windows and accidentally smashing glass is easy to do - but you`ll need an extension of accidental damage cover to pick up the pieces.
  • Falling off a ladder
    Try and ensure your ladder is secure and if possible get someone to hold it for you. Check your home insurance for personal injury cover before climbing.
  • Poor workmanship
    If you lay a patio or brickwork and leave things loose only for a friend or relative to trip and hurt themselves you could face a claim against you. It`s important to have home insurance with ample personal liability cover and seek professional assistance before undertaking skilled work.
  • Other injuries
    To avoid personal injury, read the manufacturers` instructions on tools before you begin and wear suitable protective clothing such as a mask, goggles and gloves. Check for personal injury and liability cover.
  • Dropped items
    Breaking a mirror, dropping an ornament or damaging furniture while preparing a DIY task could hinder you before you`ve started, so seek help from friends before moving anything that`s easy to damage. Check your home insurance for `new for old` replacement of items in case the worst happens.

Don`t forget to make sure you avoid the disaster of paying too much for your insurance by obtaining as many home insurance quotes as possible before purchasing your premium.

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