DIY disasters cost the average Brit £669.58

Nearly six million (5,904,000) UK adults have had self-inflicted DIY disasters, according to Confused.com – UK insurance price comparison site.

Research from Confused.com found that some botched home improvement jobs were so serious that 1 in 10 respondents had to claim on their home insurance as a result.

Men are the most accident-prone, with 1 in 5 admitting to self-inflicted DIY mishaps, compared with a mere 8% of women. However, women's DIY disasters are infinitely more catastrophic than those of their male counterparts; the average resulting home insurance claim for women is a whopping £758.58, compared with £556.36 for men.

Edinburgh is the least DIY savvy city in the UK, with 1 in 4 respondents having had to claim on their home insurance as a result of a botched home improvement attempt.

Simon Lamble, product director at Confused.com says: "The summer often brings out the DIY enthusiast in all of us, but it is important to remember to take safety precautions when undertaking home improvement jobs, however small they may seem. With a whopping six million people having confessed to DIY disasters and more than half a million having to claim on their home insurance as a result, it is important to remain savvy at all times. A simple drilling job could turn into an extremely expensive claim if electrical wiring, for example, is not taken into account.

"Confused.com aims to help consumers find the most comprehensive and best-tailored home insurance policy on the market - a real must during the summer months, when DIY becomes one of the nation's favoured pastimes."