A new report from Lloyds Bank has revealed that spend on DIY home improvements has reached £5.8bn, the equivalent of £210 per household per year.
Spend on DIY rose 13% in 2015 to its highest level since 2008. It is thought that this increase has been fuelled by people feeling their homes are more valuable and therefore more worthwhile investing in.

The report also highlighted how home maintenance spend is linked to the performance of the housing market. Spend reduced by around 31% between the height of the housing market in 2007 and the bottom of the market in 2011. While the market picked up between 2011 and 2015, DIY spend increased 18%.

The study also showed that the amount spent on hiring tradesmen fell 15% between 2014 and 2015 to £1.6bn. This means that for every £1 spent on tradesmen, £3.65 is spent on DIY tools and materials.

Said Lloyds bank mortgage products director Andrew Mason: "Taking a DIY approach to home improvements helps cut costs and provides homeowners with the opportunity to put their own distinctive stamp on their property."