It's enough to make Carol less than Smillie - Britain's DIY enthusiasts are becoming disillusioned with TV home improvement programmes.
It's enough to make Carol less than Smillie - Britain's DIY enthusiasts are becoming disillusioned with TV home improvement programmes.
In a hammer blow for the shows, 40% of people say they often find what works on telly is a disaster at home, according to a study of people's home improvement habits published by Norwich Union today.*
The news comes as Britain prepares to go on a DIY bender this Easter. The Norwich Union research says householders will spend Ł7 billion doing an estimated 310 million hours of DIY this holiday period.
But they are most likely to pursue their own home improvement ideas. According to the survey, a fifth of householders have at some time attempted to copy a DIY idea from the telly.
But a good proportion claim to have lost patience with these "Changing Rooms" - style makeovers. The disillusioned fell into two groups.
Undo it yourself
One in five found the ideas they loved on TV proved utterly unsuitable in practice, saying: "It looked nice at first but it wasn't practical and I wanted to change it back".
Shelve it
A further 17% didn't even get that far, abandoning the task half way through. They said: "It got too complicated and expensive and I didn't finish the job".
In general, householders are wary of taking on the jobs "Handy Andy and co" knock off in half an hour's TV. Only one in ten considered them "easy to do" while just 5% described them as "safe".
Jill Willis, market development manager at Norwich Union, said: "We love our homes and our DIY shows but often find what's fun to watch is a nightmare to copy. Perhaps we should just trust our own instincts rather than the ideas on DIY shows when we're planning to make big changes to our homes.
"DIY brings risk and one of the real pitfalls enthusiasts face is accidentally damaging their home or belongings when doing a DIY job. Accidental damage cover on buildings and contents policies is relatively inexpensive - not much for DIY peace of mind."
To help DIYers protect themselves and their homes this Easter, Norwich Union's top DIY tips for homeowners are:
- Always read instructions carefully before starting any job
- If you're using steps or a ladder make sure they're in good condition and never overstretch them
- Always use protective gloves, glasses, masks and headgear, as appropriate and keep sharp tools safely covered when not in use
- Use the correct tools for the job
- If you're hiring tools, ask for a demonstration or make sure you fully understand how to safely use the equipment before leaving the shop
- Take care with electricity and always use a circuit breaker on electric tools for added safety
- Be careful, Government figures show there are 99,000 injuries every year in DIY-related activities, of which 40,000 involve ladders.**
For more details on Norwich Union insurance services, customers should contact Norwich Union Direct on 0800 888 222 or their insurance broker. Further advice, information and special offers are available on Norwich Union's Home Doctor website at www.norwichuniondirect.co.uk/homedoctor.
-ends-
Media contacts:
Anick Purmessur or Sarah Turnbull at QBO Bell Pottinger on 020 7861 2424 or Liz Kennett at Norwich Union Press Office on 08703 66 68 63.
Notes to editors:
- *Norwich Union commissioned research amongst 1,000 homeowners on 29-30 March 2003
- **Office for National Statistics Spring 2001
- Accidental Damage cover can be added to building or contents insurance policies
- Norwich Union is the UK's largest insurer with a market share of around 16% and is more than 1.5 times the size of its nearest rival. It is also the largest personal lines insurer
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