One in seven (14%) UK adults have faced a home improvement mishap within the last three years, according to research from Sainsbury’s Bank Home Insurance.

The most common problem is flooring being damaged by tools, equipment, or spilled paint, which happened to 5% of DIYers, followed by damage to internal walls and electrical damage, both of which affected 3% of home improvers.

Damage to pipes was also widely reported.

Check your cover

With the May bank holiday a popular time for DIY enthusiasts, the bank is urging homeowners to make sure they are not leaving themselves uninsured when it comes to making improvements to their homes.

It’s important to make sure you have good quality home insurance in place that covers accidental damage as mishaps can happen.

Crucially, if you’re undertaking major works, for example, building an extension, changing your windows or converting your loft, you must make sure your tradesmen are fully insured, and it’s important to let your insurer know of any planned activity in advance.

Once the work is complete you should alert your insurer, as new rooms etc will have a bearing on your buildings cover and you’ll want to make sure you’ve also adjusted your contents cover if you’ve added new furnishings or TVs, for instance.

The research findings show that of those who have undertaken renovation work at their property in the last three years just a fifth notified their insurer, and 7% only did so once the work was complete.

Karen Hogg, head of insurance at Sainsbury’s Bank, said:  “We’re a nation of DIY lovers and many of us will be planning some home or garden work over the coming weeks.

“Our research shows that just under a quarter of people undertaking work had notified their insurer, which may lead to them being uninsured.”