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Newsletter

Homeowners should 'seek professional advice before starting major DIY projects'

By Marianne Straker, Mon 23 Jun 2008 - Published in Home Insurance

Anyone planning substantial home improvements should seek guidance from an expert, Direct Line has advised.

Head of home insurance Andrew Lowe said: "We recommend that professional advice is sought before undertaking any major DIY work."

He added that this could include fitting a new bathroom or kitchen and structural alterations like removing a wall.

Statistics from Zurich show that British homeowners have shelled out approximately £1.5 billion to remedy their botched DIY jobs.

The figures also revealed that three-quarters of people do not know whether their home insurance policy covers DIY mistakes and half of homeowners do not inform their insurer regarding major renovations they are planning to make to their property.

Approximately 87 per cent admitted to starting DIY without checking if they are insured for the work or any resultant damage.

Among the most common DIY projects undertaken by homeowners are painting and bleeding radiators, according to the survey.