Ever been looking around the house of your dreams and found that something as small as a faulty light has unearthed a host of electrical problems that suddenly turns your palace into a shed? You’re not alone. Visible wiring or poor plumbing could put potential buyers off purchasing your house, so make sure to hire the right person for any job you may be considering in 2015. Dodgy DIY by British homeowners may decrease the sale price of the average UK home by over £30,800.
Read - How to check your home electrics are safe
Preserving property value
A survey by TrustMark, the Government-endorsed ‘find a tradesman’ scheme, found a staggering 91% of British adults would reduce their offer on homes with signs of poor DIY by 11% on average. Over half (54%) would be less likely to put an offer in at all. If you’re looking to sell your home or simply want to make sure not to take away its value, take care over DIY.
“While DIY projects can be immensely rewarding, homeowners should be wary of attempting anything beyond their skill-set. As these results show, inadequate work can seriously reduce the value of their homes, or even put prospective buyers off completely,” says Simon Ayers, Chief Executive of TrustMark.
“While it can be tempting for those without a network of reliable tradesmen to try their hand at DIY instead, it’s worth getting an expert in to be sure you’re preserving the value of the property. TrustMark provides homeowners with the reassurances they are looking for and the confidence that they are working with tradesmen who are best in the business – they can take the worry out of work.”
Read - How to check your home electrics are safe
Potentially dangerous
NAPIT, a Government approved Competent Person Scheme operator for installers across the building services sector, work closely with TrustMark to promote the use of competent, registered installers and protect householders.
“Homeowners attempting DIY doesn’t just have a large impact on the value of their homes, it is also potentially dangerous,” said Martin Bruno, the Chief Operating Officer for NAPIT.
“If you use a competent, registered installer for any work carried out on your home it ensures it will be safe, installed correctly and meets the legally required standards.”
NAPIT Registered Installers all meet strict qualification requirements and are regularly assessed to ensure their ongoing competence. If you are looking into minor plumbing, heating or electrical work or plan to have something more substantial carried out in your home. NAPIT has registered installers that can do the job for you, supply you with the correct certification and, more importantly, help keep you and your family safe.
Read - How to check your home electrics are safe
For the peace of mind that comes with hiring a NAPIT Registered Installer, search in your local area using the search facility at http://www.napit.org.uk/consumer/fastSearch.aspx or call 0845 543 0330.
For further information about TrustMark and their registered tradesmen, visit www.trustmark.org.uk.
