The Bank Holiday weekend means one thing for many homeowners in the UK – time to get the paintbrush out and do some redecorating. While many of us are enthusiastic about DIY, Brits have been warned to steer clear of the more complex jobs, particularly if it involves plumbing.

GoCompare Home Insurance recently asked 2,004 British adults if they would undertake home renovation jobs, and surprisingly 58 per cent claimed they would give it a go themselves or ask for help from family and friends.

The survey also revealed that nearly a third (29 per cent) of those who would have a go at DIY said they would try plumbing jobs, while 24 per cent would attempt work involving electrics, and 13 per cent would not shy away from fixing the boiler or central heating system. This is despite these types of jobs being highly complex and potentially dangerous if they are not done correctly.

For this reason, many insurers would not cover homeowners if something went wrong and they did not use a registered professional to carry out the work.

Ryan Fulthorpe, home insurance expert at GoCompare, said: “We’ve all heard horror stories of botched DIY, where someone has accidentally knocked a nail through a water pipe or drilled through complex wiring.  What people may not be aware of is some these well-intentioned DIY-ers may have had to pick up the bill for the repairs if their home insurance doesn’t cover accidental damage.”

Many home insurance policies do not protect against damage caused by poor workmanship or faulty materials, which is why if you attempt a plumbing or electrical job yourself and then put in a claim for damage, you are likely to be refused.

While this could put homeowners off doing any home improvement jobs entirely, Mr Fulthorpe warned against this as well. He noted that some policies do not cover for damage that could have been avoided by regular maintenance.

Therefore, he added: “It’s important to keep on top of regular home maintenance jobs which could otherwise damage your property over time.”

Instead of getting the drill out and trying something potentially quite dangerous this weekend that could invalidate your insurance policy, you could take a look at new bathroom suites instead.

According to The Times, big trends in bathroom design this year include adding a splash of coral on to walls or on tiles, and having waterproof laminate panels that look like wood fitted either on the walls or the floor.

TV host Emily Henderson also recommends rounded rectangle mirrors; wall-mounted toilets: floor-to-ceiling shower enclosures; side-mounted taps; and skinny vertical tiles throughout the bathroom.

However you choose to design your new wash room, just make sure you get a professional to fit it so you don’t risk your home insurance cover in case you install it incorrectly.

For more ideas on bathrooms in Hampshire, take a look here.