40% of British homeowners planned to carry out DIY jobs over the recent Bank Holiday weekends, according to a new survey from HSBC.
The Home Improvement Survey also revealed the ten most popular DIY jobs over the period, with redecorating rooms coming out on top. Minor repairs came second, followed by repairing fences and gates, repainting the front door, recarpeting rooms, laying decking or patio, installing a new bathroom, installing a new kitchen, insulating cavity or solid walls and installing new windows.

The research found householders redecorating their property will improve the value of their home by £3,229 on average, a 62% increase since the last HSBC Home Improvement Survey in 2009.

However, 35% of property valuation experts questioned believe that decorating a home, while making the property more appealing to prospective buyers, would not add any value at all.

The experts deemed a loft conversion to be the best way to improve a property's value, increasing it on average by £20,876. A room extension would add around £16,000, while a conservatory would boost the value by more than £8,200.