If you haven’t invested in home emergency cover, then you may be tempted to perform DIY beyond your abilities if you experience a plumbing or electrical problem. While it is understandable that people may be tempted to perform their own repairs, especially nowadays when money is tight and times are hard, doing so might not just be difficult, but may also be dangerous.
A recent survey by AA Home Membership found that nearly three-quarters (74%) of people who have attempted DIY have made some kind of mistake while doing so.
The most DIY common mishap uncovered by the poll was accidentally hammering a thumb, cited by 42% of DIY-ers. This was followed by spilling paint on the floor, at 35%, drilling holes in the wrong locations, at 31%, and struggling with flat-pack furniture.
However, some potentially serious DIY disasters were also relatively commonplace; 16% of DIY-ers said they had blown the electrics – a mistake that could lead to a disastrous electrical home emergency or even a fatal electrocution. Furthermore, 11% said they had fallen from a ladder, while 10% had drilled or hammered through the pipe – let’s hope some had plumbing and drainage cover!
Another 2% of DIY-ers said they had installed an appliance incorrectly, with washing machines some of the most commonly-cited badly-installed appliances. With appliance cover, you don’t have to panic if your washing machine stops working immediately after you plumb it in!
But these DIY disasters are not dissuading people from engaging with DIY; 37% of DIY-ers said they intend to perform some home improvements over the upcoming bank holiday weekend of August 23rd to 25th. The Welsh were found to be the most likely to be planning to do some DIY this weekend, with 49% saying they intended to do so, with this falling to just 29% among Scottish respondents.
Among those that said they wish to DIY this weekend, 80% said they plan to do some gardening, while 51% expect to paint inside the house, 37% plan to paint their fence or something else outdoors, 20% are cleaning their gutters, and 15% are putting up some wallpaper.
While most people’s DIY mishaps are not particularly serious, and the injuries they sustain are not life-threatening, there are some home improvement jobs that are especially dangerous and that should only ever be completed by trained and qualified professionals, such as electrical and gas work.
