Britons expect to splash out £7 billion and spend 310 million hours on DIY projects during the Easter weekend.

The majority of people are likely to pursue their own home improvement ideas, rather than copy makeovers they have seen on television, according to insurer Norwich Union.

The group found almost one in five people questioned said they had tried something they had seen on television at home but 40 per cent wished they had not bothered.

One in five people said that while the improvement looked nice at first, it proved to be unsuitable and they ended up changing it.

And 19 per cent said they abandoned the task halfway through because it became too complicated or expensive.

People were generally wary about taking on DIY projects they had seen on television, with just ten per cent saying they looked easy and five per cent considering them safe.

Jill Willis, market development manager at Norwich Union, said: "We love our homes and our DIY shows, but often find what's fun to watch is a nightmare to copy.

"Perhaps we should just trust our own instincts rather than ideas on DIY shows when we are planning to make big changes to our homes."

Taylor Nelson Sofres questioned 1,000 homeowners.

Tuesday April 15 2003