RIP DIY

The over 50s are putting younger Britons to shame when it comes to preparing their homes for winter according to a new survey from Saga Home Insurance.

For most of the wintry DIY jobs, the baby boomers were most likely to do it themselves, whereas a YDI - or "you do it" - culture has emerged with less enthusiastic 25-34 year olds that are happy to pay someone outside the family to do jobs around the house.

At a time when the UK has been experiencing the earliest widespread snowfall since 1993, Saga asked more than 2,000 adults which maintenance jobs they planned to do themselves in preparation for the winter weather.

More than a quarter of people over 50 will repair loose or missing roof tiles before winter sets in compared with merely 1% of 25 to 34 year olds.

38% of people over 50 will cut back trees and bushes themselves to prevent damage to the home in bad weather. This compares to just 10% of 18 - 24 year olds.

The over 50s were three times more likely than the under 35s to turn their hand to repairing leaking or cracked pipes (12% versus 4%).

In contrast younger age-groups are far more likely to call in the professionals than turn their hands to DIY. 18% of 18 - 44 year olds are more willing to pay to have a tradesman fix their leaking or broken pipes compared to a mere 5% who would endeavour to do it themselves.

Ros Altmann, Director-General, Saga Group commented: "The older generations are far more willing to get hands on when it comes to preparing their home for winter. In contrast, the younger generation is less willing to give it a go themselves, whether this is due to a lack of know-how or time constraints is not clear. But getting your house safe and sound for the winter is a sensible thing to do and may save you time and money in the long run,"

Saga's bad weather preparation checklist

Make sure your boiler is serviced and maintained regularly

Check gutters for blockages and there are no loose or cracked roof tiles

Check loft and pipe insulation

Ensure you have salt for icy paths and sandbags if flooding is likely

Check paintwork and putty on windows for gaps and cracking

Tidy up the garden, make sure there are no branches that could cause damage to your home in strong winds

Sweep chimneys and flues

For more information visit saga.co.uk/insurance/home-insurance/bad-weather-guide/