DOING IT YOURSELF

AROUND one in five first-time buyers who are eager to get on the property ladder are turning to lower-priced properties that need some renovation, according to research.

Many are cutting costs by carrying out the work themselves, spending £4600 typically in the process.

But some of those surveyed also had to fork out for a professional to fix their DIY mistakes, costing £2358 on average, the survey from specialist insurance broker Towergate found.