This Easter, home improvement retailer B&Q, anticipates that more than £1billion will be spent on DIY products with homeowners planning on making their homes and gardens into palatial pads.

But B&Q also thinks that many jobs just won’t be started and some that are started will be botched or not completed, reducing the value of property instead of improving it.

Why then, says the company, when a botched-up DIY job or pure DIY-laziness can devalue your property so significantly – do many people sit back and let their biggest investment fall apart around them?

Not only will incomplete jobs drive you mad and spoil the enjoyment of your home, but according to an estate agents survey commissioned by B&Q, poor paint-work or decoration in your home could take up to £3,000 off the price and a half-baked kitchen could mean that you lose out on a whopping £5,000 when trying to sell your home.

Additional research by B&Q also suggests that a staggering 99% of people admit to not having touched their garden in the last six months, however, a little thought and not much spend or effort can increase the market value of your property significantly.

The Eight Second Test

B&Q has found that first impressions are really important and can make or break a sale - the research shows that people decide within eight seconds of viewing a property if it’s to be their dream home. Giving your house ‘kerb appeal’ is a sure-fire way to get potential buyers through the front door.

According to leading estate agent and chartered surveyors Priors, from south coast property hot spot Brighton & Hove, a prospective purchaser will believe that the exterior of a property will reflect the interior:

“If your paint-work is peeling and the window frames are rotting then you can almost guarantee that the property will be placed on the ‘reject’ pile before they have even stepped foot through the front door. It’s not that people want ready-to-walk-in homes, but they do want to see that it has been kept tidy and well-maintained. Little things like a well decorated hallway can make all the difference.”

The Doctor Knows Best!

Ann Maurice, interior designer and star of Channel 5’s ‘House Doctor’ has seen many DIY disasters in her time where people have started ambitious projects and left them incomplete:

Ann Maurice comments: “It’s human nature to put things off until tomorrow that could be done today…especially DIY jobs that seem to be looming over our heads.”

“In my experience as TV’s House Doctor I’ve seen it all…rooms decorated only as high as the arm can reach without a ladder, wallpaper stripped leaving an unsightly cracked or damaged wall in full view, floorboards partially sanded and left unfinished, bathroom fittings removed without replacing them, a kitchen remodel never quite taken to completion.”

“Choosing to live with unfinished DIY projects is a matter of personal choice. However, when selling your home such ‘unfinished business’ can cost you money, and what’s worse, it can even at times cost you the sale.”

"My advice if you’re selling, is that in order to get the highest and best price in the least amount of time, take care of all your unfinished DIY before putting your home on the market. And, if you’re not selling at the moment, finishing all those DIY jobs that you have been putting off will not only add value to your house in the long run, but will immediately make it a more comfortable and attractive place to call home.”

Rob Cissell, B&Q Chief Executive says: “Over Easter, we’re expecting millions of people through the doors of B&Q stores across the UK, planning home improvement projects over the weekend. Our advice would be to prepare and plan ahead so you have all the products you need to complete the job. Remember even the smallest investment in terms of time and money Diy-ing this Easter can add the maximum to the look and value of your home – but only if the jobs are complete!”