DIY SOS frontman Nick Knowles has been named Britain's 'Home Idol' by a new survey from Halifax, narrowly beating his property TV rivals to take the crown.

Knowles polled sixteen per cent of the votes, the survey revealed, ahead of Sarah Beeney on 13 per cent and Kevin McCloud on ten per cent.

But the study had a more serious side as well – warning that many Britons have ruined their homes in an effort to copy what they saw on TV.

Despite this, Changing Rooms was seen as the most inspirational show, with 27 per cent of Britons saying the TV institution had encouraged them to turn their hand to DIY.

"All looks so simple on TV, making it easy to forget that the work on makeover shows is being carried out by highly trained and skilled professionals," commented Vicky Emmott of Halifax Home Insurance

"Trying to tackle certain areas that you are not qualified for, such as electrics or plumbing could invalidate your home insurance and leave you liable for the cost of any subsequent damage.

"It's far better to employ a reputable tradesman than to risk damaging your home by going it alone," Ms Emmott added.

A previous study by Halifax suggested that Britons expect some £5,000 to be added to their homes with each renovation effort.