There are nearly 6 million (or nearly 5,904,000) adults that have had self inflicted DIY disasters according to statistics from confused.com.

The research from confused.com has found that some botched home improvement jobs were so serious that one in ten people had to claim home insurance as a result.

Men appear to be the most accident prone and it would seem that one in five admitting to DIY mishaps that were self inflicted DIY compared with 8% of women. They may overall have fewer disasters but women’s DIY disasters are definitely more catastrophic than their male counterparts and the average DIY disaster for a woman will normally result in a home insurance claim which averages £758.58 compared with a lesser amount of £556.36 claimed by men.

Edinburgh is said to be the least DIY savvy city in the whole of the UK, with one in four people having had to claim on home insurance as a result of a botched DIY attempt.

Product Director, Simon Lamble, at Confused.com stated that summer is the time when most people start to attempt DIY projects but safety precautions must be taken when attempting home improvement jobs even if the jobs are only small. A whopping 6 million people have confessed to a DIY disaster and more than 500K has had to claim on their home insurance as a result of that.

If you live in the city or have a very old house you might face problems installing a bathroom shower that is not much larger than a closet but with some innovation you will have some options.

The first option is to remove the bathtub; it is normally a clunky old bathtub or shower stall that is causing your bathroom to feel cramped. Once you take out the tub your space maybe better used to refit a large luxurious shower enclosure. As long as you don’t bother with baths this may be the only way to create more footage in a small bathroom.

It is very important to keep in mind too that if you tear out the bathtub you do risk devaluing your property if you put it up for sale. This is because most people buying a bathroom expect to be buying a tub too. One solution might be to put the bathtub in a more spacious room and make it a sunken bath in the bedroom (though this is starting to get quite expensive).

If you keep the shower and bath together it is easy to find an old fashioned bathtub (like the claw foot bathtubs), in this case all you need to do is to create a bathtub shower by getting a long metal extension to which you need to attach a fixed showerhead or one that is on a flexible hose. If ceiling height restriction makes this impossible you could attach a shower spray head affixed to a flexible hose next to your bathtub faucet.

Another option to create space is to get rid of enclosures altogether and make the entire room into a shower. You will need to do this by installing stone and cement walls and floors and including a base with a drain. This is one of the most expensive options but the end results can be quite staggering. Keep in mind how you design may affect where you place your toilet, sink and mirror. Most showers designed like this will also have a glass or plexiglas partition that can be installed to protect the rest of the fixtures in the bathroom.

Keep in mind that the more stuff you rip out of your bathroom, the more room you will have for a huge, elaborate shower.

When the weather is really hot especially with a high level of humidity, air conditioning becomes an absolute necessity. With the rising cost of oil, electricity is more expensive than it used to be. This now means that many individuals are searching for more energy efficient and “environmentally friendly” ways of cooling their homes. One popular method of doing this is by implementing the use of portable air conditioning units in the home.

One of the first advantages of a portable air conditioning unit is the fact that they are relatively inexpensive. Generally, they can be picked up at any type of home improvement store for less than £100.00. This is cheap when you consider the added comfort and convenience that it offers during humid summer months. In addition to being of low cost during the initial purchase, running the unit is generally inexpensive as far as electrical bills are concerned. This is because of the fact that all of these units are Energy Star. This means that they offer maximum quality without overloading your home electricity.

Portable air conditioning units are really simple to setup and operate. There is the added benefit of having a light weight unit that is easy to carry from room to room. As a matter of fact, most portable air conditioning units can be both carried and installed by one person. There are many portable units that sit on the floor, near a window, with wheels supporting the base to ensure they are easy to maneuver. The compact size and convenience of portable air units are really hard to beat when it comes to cooling your home.

When it comes to actually setting and installing these units, there is little to no hassle at all. Generally, units can be slid into any type of window and have slide outs to make them fit. Then, there are some units that simply sit on the floor and air hoses are attached to windows in the home. The larger window units and central air conditioning units can prove very difficult when it comes to installation; the units are bulky and heavy, and also often require vents and ducts with all kinds of other accessories to help them get installed correctly. This can also be expensive!

Portable air conditioning units are definitely the easier option and they can be used in the home, office, and even in recreational vehicles!

Most people who have a backyard or an outside patio probably own a barbecue. The bbq grill is as important as anything else lying around the house. I know most men would consider the grill and the area surrounding it their “man land.” It seems cooking meat on an open flame satisfies the caveman part of their brain.

A barbecue grill comes in loads of shapes and sizes. Some small grills can be placed on a table, they cost very little and they work just the same as the big bbq grills.

In terms of the huge bbq designs there are many of these in all sorts of stunning large stainless steel models that cost, in some cases hundreds of pounds. But it finally comes down to the basics; a barbecue grill cooks meat, that’s it. Everything else that is built into a large bbq set is either a cooking aid or nice to have accessories. Some grills will come attached with smoker accessories so the unit can accomplish more than just grilling at one time.

Tips to Aid Cooking Of BBQ Meat
Regardless of what kind of meat you are cooking; beef, pork or chicken or even fish there are various things that can enhance the flavors. One way is to marinate meat overnight. When it is taken out to the barbecue, the aroma is mouth watering. Use spices while the meat is cooking.

Watch out for flare ups, these can very quickly ruin a nice cut of meat. Every barbecue grill will come with a lid. When cooking any meat that keeps dripping, keep the lid closed while cooking as it stops the flare ups due to minimizing the oxygen that is exposed to the cooking fats. Know your timings for cooking each individual meat taking into account the size and thickness.

There is nothing worse than overcooked meat so have a rough idea of the time it takes to cook and keep a knife handy to check the current condition of the meat throughout cooking.

A few more tips to reviving your home.

Fittings

It makes a huge difference just doing the little things like replacing old light fittings, door handles and cupboard accessories. Not only that but it is a very easy, cheap way to create a ‘modern feel’ making a huge difference in the appeal of your property.

TIP: Look at expensive designer brands before you find good quality imitations that are a probably the quarter of the price.

Accessibility

This is often overlooked. You should try to make sure your property is accessible to wheelchairs and prams, as almost every family has a newborn or mobility impaired person at some point. Try to make use of wheelchair friendly ramps as opposed to stairs.

TIP: If you have a steep front garden, use a winding path to  get a good mix of good looks and accessibility. Dot flowers, plants and rockery features around the path to add a touch of beauty to your front lawn.

Garden

Get in the garden, just one full day in the garden and you can make a huge difference to the overall appearance of your house. Get rid the weeds, trim branches back, mow the lawns and sweep the pathway and suddenly your property is looking really good. You’re probably wondering why sweeping the pathway is considered a DIY home renovation? Who cares what you call it the fact is putting the work into your garden will make your home a more attractive proposition to buyers or renters.

TIP: Get help from family and friends. Everyone has done some kind of gardening at some stage and you can even turn it into a fun bbq event to thank everyone and celebrate. It will be more fun and easy as the whole family can enjoy it.

Exterior Painting and Rendering

This is often not your first priority but drastically improves first impressions that people have of your house. Rendering can turn an old brick house into a modern a beautiful place in only a few days.

TIP: DIY rendering is incredibly cheap and a fantastic way to improve the value of your property. It is often messy and laborious but the results are fabulous.
So how much work should I do on my investment property/home? Well, do as much as you can whilst spending as little as you can. Remember that renovating your property should be fun and exciting!

Assume that you have around 2-5 wks for completing your DIY renovations, what is a realistic goal? OK, to a degree this will depend on your budget but you will be really surprised at how much you can do. Generally speaking my DIY budget is the same for all my projects it’s called spend as little as possible. Here is a list of the most obvious jobs that you should consider.

Interior Painting
A coat of paint is the quickest and easiest way to make your home feel new. The fab thing about painting is that everyone can do it and it’s so rewarding. I love watching my home slowly get transformed with each new painted wall and the best thing is that it doesn’t cost too much.
TIP: If you are going to paint your house in beige don’t bother! Property investors seem to make the mistake of choosing boring colours, so paint your house as you like it and as if you were going to be living in it. If you do feel adventurous, include a feature wall, give it some character but don’t go too crazy.

Floors
Replacing your existing flooring is a great way to make your home feel new. Either replace the carpet or if you have good floorboards polish them, good polished floorboards are a great feature to a home and fit any decoration and taste it also helps to keep the features of your home.
TIP: This is the only part of the DIY process where I would recommend hiring a professional to do it for you, floor polishing and carpet fitting as here detail matters. Professionals can do such a quick, cheap job it is actually hard to make an argument here for doing this yourself. Save money by ripping out the old carpet before the professionals arrive.

Bathroom & Kitchen
These are the two rooms in your home where you should spend most of your budget. I would recommend getting both of these areas clean, modern and definitely usable.
TIP: You don’t need to re-tile you can paint tiles to amazing effect. I have used tile paint over the top of outdated tiles and the results are truly amazing.

One of the most useful jobs to do during a recession is DIY. When going out becomes a luxury you can’t afford make yourself useful, I’m not talking major DIY projects just a lick of paint to brighten the place up plus you’ll add value to your home-so here are a few tips:

Start with updating your kitchen doors, starting at the heart of your home is a great way to add value and it’s not expensive either. Visit a factory shop and fit the doors yourself. Add a quick lick of paint to kitchen walls; buy a new toaster and kettle maybe consider a new floor. All these changes give the impression of a bigger and brighter kitchen. To save more money when buying the paint, try shopping for it online. There are usually better offers available and most online shops have promotional coupons available to give you a little extra discount.

Redecorating your hallway, it is one of the first things people see when they come into your home so make a good impression. Clear the clutter; coats and shoes and store them elsewhere to give yourself more room. Use light colours to give darker spaces more light. If you have a narrow hallway use mirrors on the wall to give the illusion of a larger space.

Give your house some character, if you have bare walls hang pictures and hang a mirror opposite them to make them look bigger.

Clean all your windows, it seems simple but bright clear windows instantly make your home more welcoming. Clean curtains or dust shutters.

Clear clutter anywhere you see it, clutter is a big no. One person’s rubbish can be another person’s treasure so get down to a car boot sale or sell your items online. You will feel so much better once you have got rid of all the mess.

Give your kitchen cupboards a good clear out there is always food lurking at the back of our cupboards that never gets used. We tend to keep buying food until we push everything to the back of the cupboards and we forget it’s there. Get rid of anything that’s out of date and rearrange it all into some kind of order.

A job that would perhaps require a good deal of spare time and maybe a little professional help but is a real winner for increasing house value is to install an extra bathroom, either an en-suite in your bedroom if you have the room or a downstairs toilet.

Converting your garage, particularly if you only use it for storage, start by clearing the whole place and make it into a proper room. You could use it as an office, or a playroom for the children or even a spare guest room. An extra room gives value straight away. All you need is office furniture or whatever.

Create a proper garden space; if you have a yard that you don’t venture into consider clearing it and adding plant pots and plants to the back area making the space much more attractive.

If you have a garden but nowhere to store your tools think about adding a shed so you have an area for storage and for all your garden’s needs.

One of the most obvious ways to add value to your home is to build an extension, if you have room on the side or back of your house start thinking carefully about where you can plan this as this is a large job! You could add a conservatory to the back of your house with a table and chairs where you can sit and eat your breakfast whilst looking out at your garden on a hot summer’s day.

If you have a cellar or attic consider converting it, they can make great living spaces. My neighbor just recently converted her attic into another bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and a beautiful skylight in the roof above her bed. This has added another £20,000 onto her house value.

Cellars are good for wine storage, mini bars and another seating area to take guests. One of my friend’s has a pull down screen for films in her cellar and seats for the kids to watch films – they love it and it keeps the kids quiet for hours. Another of my friends has a mini bar which he built himself and a pool table in his cellar. Use your imagination. An extra useable room adds value so be creative.

Food prices are increasing, energy bills are rising and the cost of petrol is going up and up, not to mention the increase in mortgage interest rates……

It is now the time to really give your finances a good DIY shake up and cut back where you can.

Credit – Be honest. The average credit card holder owes around £2,000 on their credit cards, we have been enjoying a period of free spending and spending has been so easy!! Don’t get caught by increased interest rates, work out what you owe and pay it back as soon as possible. Failing that, consolidate; look at your options for low cost loans and try and fight off larger interest debts.

Energy bills - There are plenty of websites you can go to for checking the most economical energy suppliers, get online and check the market for the best deals on gas and electricity and even your home phone. You can save quite a bit of money by switching all your bills to one supplier. In the house, make sure you switch off lights you are not using, turn down heating and save on water usage. It’s the little things that start to add up.

Mobile Phone – Do you really need it? Unless you need it for work or travel long distances is it just unnecessary expense? If you do really need it think about switching to a pay as you go option they are much cheaper and you can control your spending.

Food - How many times have you gone to a supermarket for a pint of milk and come out with 5 bags of shopping – did you really need all those extra items? The best way to stop this from happening is to make a list and absolutely stick to it – don’t get tempted by BOGOF deals unless the item is on your list!!!!! Another good way of dealing with this is to shop for your food on the internet, actually the amount that you are paying in delivery you will probably save through not being tempted by shelves of gorgeous cakes or other unnecessary items!

Remember markets are also good places to pick up a bargain and you can get a lot more for your money than shopping for it in supermarkets paying extra for pre-packed, pre-washed food.

Have a clear out- Any unwanted presents, baby clothes / toys, clothes etc. and sell them on eBay or get down to your local car boot sale

Renewing Policies - Before you renew any insurance policies check the amount you are paying and get back onto a comparison website to look for the best deals on the market, every penny counts.

Budget – When you are on a night out only take a limited amount of money that you have allocated beforehand with you and don’t take any plastic. Take the kids for a picnic and save money on lunches, look out for free and cheap days out.

As we seem to be suffering with rising interest rates and increased energy prices anything that can save us money is much welcome knowledge.

I’ve seen the cost of petrol hit my own pocket notably so when I learnt how to make my tank of petrol stretch another 10% with a few simple tips I wanted to share it.

Check List

Tyre pressures – Tyres that are wrongly inflated reduce fuel economy massively; make sure your tyres are inflated in accordance to your manufacturer’s recommended pressure (this is normally found on the inside of the driver’s door).

Your engine needs to breathe – Dirty or clogged air filters need to be replaced to impact on fuel efficiency. A car’s petrol mileage can in some cases improve by as much as 10% with a clean air filter.

Your fuel system needs to be cleaned – The buildup of resin or carbon in a fuel system reduces fuel efficiency. You can clean your fuel system yourself, pop down to your local garage or hardware store for a DIY Fuel System Tune Up Kit it will take you less than an hour to clean the entire fuel system.

Keep it cool and reduce AC – Did you know that your air conditioning can eat up nearly 5% of your car’s fuel consumption? Try buying a window film that will keep the sun’s heat at bay – having a cooler vehicle means less need for air con. Automotive window films actually offer a lot of benefits that darker window tints have but with the option of being far clearer in colour.

Calm the boy racer in you – Try slowing down a bit - driving your car at fast speeds and aggressive stop / start jabbing on your pedals in heavy traffic will also reduce fuel efficiency. As a guide, every 5 mph over 60 mph means you will be paying an additional 10p per gallon for petrol.

Empty the junk – Get rid of heavy objects in the car. For every 100 pounds of weight fuel efficiency is reduced by up to 2%, so if you aren’t using those golf clubs take them out of the boot!