However, it is completely a false economy – with subsidence costing a massive £300 million for one year. The survery showed us that home owners have been more than willing to complete their own major structural work to their house and not following any sort of guidelines what so ever. The three most major projects that were researched were building your own Victorian conservatories or lean to conservatories, loft conversions and dividing walls. Conservatory designs take months to prepare properly and people are simply not following these guidelines accurately which has proved excellent business for neighbouring firms as they have had to step in and complete the work. Kevin Brown, Senior Claims Manager for Llyods TSB Insurance has said that more and more home owners have been considering making structural changes and managing the entire project themselves.

Yet the proper way to go about doing a project like this is to consult the proper people from the outset including your insurance company. If you do not do this it could easily end up hurting you and could cost you a lot of money to repair! Always speak to a professional when considering taking on a project like this. If you are thinking about completing your own housing project then you need to contact your home insurer as quickly as possible.

I have met neighbours next to me that have decided to undertake major structural changes to their home and have failed. Once you start digging a hole for yourself you can never get out and I know they had to pay thousands of pounds to rectify the problem that they had caused.