Do you fancy yourself as a bit of a handyman? Perhaps you consider yourself more of a DIY diva? The harsh reality is that you are more likely to be a DIY disaster.

Who needs a professional when you can just hammer your new shelf to a wall, electrical wire, or worse, a water pipe! Your hard work, money, time and effort could all be wasted, subsequently leaving you red faced and out of pocket if you succumb to a DIY disaster.

During these tough economic times, many are looking for ways to save money, with home improvements being high on the list. Yet, some 31% of people have experienced DIY devastation as a result.

Men tend to be more enthusiastic when it comes to DIY

Men typically assume the DIY role in UK households and it seems that women prefer it that way. A survey by localtraders.com found that 12% of women would prefer their man to be good at DIY to being good between the sheets.

Yet some are taking home improvements too seriously, with almost 20% of women confessing to becoming DIY widows with their men spending more time on their house than their relationship.

The poll found that 93% of women thought having a man who was good at DIY was a bonus. The pressure is on for men to become DIY domestic gods as 80% of women would be disappointed if a man was unable to carry out basic tasks.

Not only could it cost them their relationship, but dodgy DIY could also cause extensive damage to their property.

Rising living costs means many are taking on DIY themselves

Research from price comparison website Confused.com found that 53% of people are now doing their own home improvements because of rising living costs.

However, over a third of them have experienced a DIY disaster as a result. This has led many of them to make claims on their home insurance.

Scottish homeowners are particularly bad at trying their hand at DIY, with 6% having forked out over £1,000 in the past 24 months to rectify their home improvement mishaps.

Mark Gabriel, Confused.com’s Home Insurance spokesman, says; “With the economy so fragile, people’s finances are under more pressure and things aren’t getting any easier, particularly with the rise in petrol and food prices.

“Therefore people have turned to ways of saving money and have been inspired by home improvement programs”.

“However it is important to remember that television often makes tasks look easier than they are. In fact, some home insurance policies stipulate that only professionally accredited tradesmen should carry out certain work, so it is worth checking that you are not inadvertently rendering your insurance invalid by failing to read the small print.”

Think before you take on complex DIY projects

If you are considering tackling a complex DIY project by yourself in 7 inch heels, then you are well on your way to hitting a wall with your DIY efforts.

It could be advisable to hire a professional if the job is beyond your capabilities and make sure someone is on hand in case of an accident.

Wear sensible clothing and take care removing any load bearing walls in case your roof collapses.