Homeowners 'should tell insurer before making structural alternations'
Date: 06/06/2008 12:00:00
Homeowners carrying out improvements should beware of making structural changes and altering electrical
wiring, an expert says.
Sainsbury's Finance says people looking to inject value into their homes amid falling house prices
should contact their insurer before attempting DIY.
Figures published by
home insurance
company Zurich in April found homeowners who overestimate their abilities are forking out more
than £1.5 billion to fix their DIY botch jobs.
Sainsbury's home insurance manager Neil Laird said minor projects like changing doors and decorating
rooms do not require a phone call, but added those making major changes should "ensure they inform
their insurer first".
Zurich has also said an unqualified householder causing a fire with faulty wiring or flooding the house
when installing a shower may find they are left picking up the cost of any claim.
Sainsbury's Finance is the latest in a number of firms to warn homeowners of the risks of attempting
DIY themselves to save cash during the credit crunch.
Research from Halifax published in May found more than seven million British households are living with a
NERD (Never Ending Renovation Drama), an unfinished DIY or home renovation project.