Home improvements can make a property more saleable, according to a leading property expert.

Jane Walmsley, area sales director at Your Move, said: "A new kitchen or bathroom will certainly make it more saleable. You would struggle to sell a property without them."

But Ms Walmsley said home-improvements would have no effect on the value of a property in the current economic climate.

"The problem at the moment is that whatever you do isn''t going to raise the value of your property," she added.

A recent study by Zurich found almost 16 per cent of those who have done some DIY about the home had to call in experts to fix problems.

DIY disasters are costing Brits £1.5 billion a year, according to the survey.

And a visit from a professional tradesman costs an average of £280, with some rectifications costing upward of £2,000, causing some DIY enthusiasts to wait more than a year before correcting mistakes.