The Cost Of A DIY Disaster

How much does a DIY disaster cost?
On average, it costs £3,200 to repair a DIY blunder.

Improvement across the UKs housing market has many of us- as many as 33% according to Lloyds bank research- seeking to add value to our homes via home improvement projects. But, according to the same research, 10% of these improvements go wrong which result in further financial outlay required to fix the disasters.

Get a cash offer for your house today!

In fact, the average cost of repairing DIY disasters on UK homes equates to £3,200. The cost of home improvements vary greatly, the most common outlay for a DIY improvement is between £2,000 – £10,000, with 6% of improvements costing between £10,000 – £25,000, and 2% spending £25K or over.

However, with the average cost of botch jobs equating to an average of £3,200 to repair, this means a DIY job can add an additional 12% – 91% on top of the initial outlay. The principle behind any DIY project on the home should be to add value to the home. If successful, they can result in increasing your property’s value by up to £10,000-£25,000. Around 29% of people performing DIY projects believe they hit this mark, whilst 31% believe the value-added equates to the same of what the actual project cost.

A project that doesn’t result in adding value to your property is obviously a waste of time. Proper planning, consultation and finding experienced people to work on the project is crucial to avoid any wasted outlay. Despite the high numbers that result in failure, a high number of people still buy houses with a view of renovating to add value. It’s estimated six million people buy property in the UK under budget, with a quarter of those people intending to convert or extend the property intending to add value in the future. Nearly half of the current house buying market (44%) buy properties with the view of moving on when they’re in a position to afford something better.

So what DIY projects are people carrying out?

Research revealed that most involved re-purposing a room in the house − 32% focused on a room, usually the spare bedroom. The most common outcome for the spare is to convert it into an office or an entertainment room − could this be a sign of a changing society with more of us becoming our own boss or requiring a quiet space to do some further study? Whatever the motivation for home improvements the key is to ensure it’s done properly as a botched job can be costly to rectify.

If you’ve recently redecorated prior to moving and want to see what your property’s value is now, visit Quick Sell Your House for a free offer.

The Nation’s most trusted house buyer

  • Companies House
  • Information Commissioner’s Office
  • Property Redress Scheme
  • Hometrack
Keep reading

More on Home Improvements

View all

What Is Subsidence?

Subsidence is one of the most serious structural problems a property can face, but understanding the warning signs early can help prevent…

Read more ›
Good to know

Frequently asked questions

No. Because we purchase directly, there are no estate agent fees involved when you sell to us.

No, our service is completely free for sellers. We cover all legal costs and there are no estate agent fees or commissions to pay.

No, there are no hidden ‘catches’ with our service. We buy any house, given that we agree on a fair purchase price in accordance with the market. Once we have your details, we’ll make an offer (in as little as 15 mins!), and you can accept or simply turn it down if it doesn’t meet your expectations.

You can expect no hidden fees also – our services are completely free to use!

You will receive a formal offer from us in as little as 15 minutes. After you tell us a bit about your property, our team will undertake a detailed analysis of the area, marketplace and the property itself to present you with an informed offer.

There’s no obligation either. If our offer doesn’t meet your expectations or requirements, then you can simply turn it down.

It depends on the selling method you choose:

With Quick Sell Your House: Once the Grant of Probate has been received, we can complete a sale in as little as 3 working days from the point contracts are exchanged. We can also work to a longer timeline if you need more time. There is no chain and no risk of the sale falling through.

Via a traditional estate agent: A sale through the open market typically takes an average of 6–9 months from listing to completion, and that is before probate is factored in, which typically takes 6–12 months in itself. 

Quick Sell Your House can begin the process while you wait for probate, so your sale can be ready to complete almost immediately once the Grant arrives.

This is a tricky question. As we’ve covered above, there are many stages to the selling process on the open market. Every sale is different, but it can take up to six months from listing to handing over the keys. By selling with Quick Sell Your House, you can cut this time down to a tiny fraction of that.

Free · No obligation

Ready to sell your house fast?

Enter your postcode for a free, no-obligation cash offer in as little as 15 minutes.