Banish those bank holiday DIY blues

DIY projects are set to top the agenda this bank holiday weekend despite the fact that many end in disaster.

A survey, by One Poll, has highlighted how busy people in Exeter will be working on their homes over the May bank holiday – even though more than 80 per cent of people said they would prefer to spend their time with friends or family, taking part in a leisure pursuit or just relaxing.

Commissioned by housebuilder Barratt Homes, the report reveals that almost 50 per cent of people in the south west could be spending the bank holidays on a DIY project with some projects costing thousands of pounds, and many heading for potential disaster.

Barratt’s Lee Monk said the report had been commissioned to investigate how much time, money and effort goes into DIY projects on second hand homes and while it was no surprise that DIY does not top the wish list of many he said the scale of disasters was worrying.

“We found that plumbing and electrical disasters were the most common,’’ said Lee. “And in addition to damaging homes it seems that people are also prone to injury with personal disasters ranging from falling off ladders to drilling into hands.’’

In a bid to cut the bank holiday DIY misery Lee said Barratt has pledged to help people get their bank holidays back by highlighting the DIY-free credentials of new homes – a factor he said was encouraging an increasing number people into brand new properties.

Barratt currently has a range of homes available at its Exeter developments, Rydon Place and Hillside Gardens.

For further information please call 0844 5710 385, or log onto www.barratthomes.co.uk