If you’ve got your rotary lasers out
to start fitting a new kitchen or bathroom, then you certainly won’t be alone in this regard. New research has revealed that having your kitchen redone is the most popular home improvement to have been carried out in the last five years.
According to
Gocompare.com Home Insurance, the top ten renovation projects are new kitchens, new bathrooms, central heating or new boiler installation, double glazing, garden makeovers, extensions, knocking through rooms, extra bedrooms, solar panel installations and attic conversions.
While it’s always exciting to start such building work, it’s essential that you let your insurer know of any major changes you’re making to the property in question.
Ben Wilson, Gocompare.com spokesman, said: “Before starting the project, discuss your plans with your insurer to make sure they won’t invalidate your cover. For example, if building work involves erecting scaffolding or removing external doors or windows for any length of time, your property will be less secure. So, to reflect the increased theft risk, your insurer may increase your household insurance premiums while the work is carried out.”
If you are about to start work on your house this year, make sure that you have the number of a reputable tradesman to hand just in case. Recent research from Aviva found that 50 per cent of homeowners have had to have professionals come in to fix the problems they’ve created at home
through attempting some DIY.
Doing some jobs yourself is fine, but if there’s anything that requires specialist skills like plumbing or electrical work, it’s always best left to the professionals.
