Around eight million people in the UK want to get to work on more DIY projects, new research reveals.

A survey from comparison site Moneysupermarket.com showed that around 45 per cent of respondents think that carrying out home improvements would increase the value of their property - while a further 35 per cent think that the purpose of DIY projects is to make your house look nicer, with any added value coming as a bonus.

"It's no surprise we have a bevy of budding property developers out there," Louise Cuming, the website's head of mortgages, said

"With house prices having escalated dramatically over the past five years, along with the cost of stamp duty and mortgage fees, many people are turning to home improvement instead."

DIY enthusiasts most commonly take out credit - in the form of a loan, credit card or remortgage - to finance their projects, the study showed.