"While it's always recommended that you attend an organised fireworks celebration, there’s something special and memorable about hosting your own party at home, with your own fire and fireworks"
- Colby Short - GetAgent
With fireworks night on 5th November, most people will be heading to an organised community bonfire celebration. But for some people, there’s nothing better than celebrating at home with a group of close friends, a homemade fire and, of course, fireworks.
However, when you have a celebration at home, you have to accept full responsibility for the safety of the property and your guests, so it’s important to be aware of and prepared for the most likely pitfalls.
The latest research by estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, looks at some of the more common things that could go wrong on the night and how much they might cost to fix.
Scorched grass
A bonfire is going to scorch and damage the grass in your garden. There is almost nothing you can do to avoid it. The best thing to do is try and contain the fire in a specific patch of garden to avoid it spitting and spilling over to destroy the whole lawn.
Good quality new turf costs around £7 per square metre, so if a medium-sized lawn is destroyed, it’ll cost in the region of £495 to replace. Today, however, a more cost-effective measure is a raised and self-contained fire pit, albeit it doesn’t provide quite the same atmosphere.
Sheds and fences
Spitting bonfires and wayward fireworks can cause wooden sheds and fences to catch alight. If the wood is relatively dry, this initial spark can cause a large fire in a matter of minutes. Be sure to keep a safe distance from all wooden structures and eyes peeled for any unexpected smouldering.
A new shed will cost about £300 while replacing a fence depends on many factors, but with materials and labour, you can expect to pay about £100 per panel.
Windows
Stray fireworks can crack or even smash glass windows if not given sufficient space. Replacing a double-glazed window pane will cost about £150.
Roofs and gutters
Stray fireworks can also dislodge or crack roof tiles. Replacement tiles can cost between £75-£325 depending on the material, and the overall repair cost will depend on how many tiles are broken and whether or not scaffolding is required.
Fireworks can also get lodged in gutters, setting fire to any dry twigs or leaves that have gathered there. Should the gutter need patching or replacing, it tends to cost around £5 per metre.
Carpets
People are going to spend the evening traipsing in and out of the house. This puts your carpets at real risk of mud, mess and even damage. If the required work is limited to cleaning, getting a pro to do the job is always best and will cost between £20-£35 per room, depending on size.
Fire risk
The worst-case scenario of a bonfire night mishap is, of course, your house catching fire and burning down. It’s impossible to predict the financial cost of this happening because it depends on the style of the property and the extent of the damage, but it could be tens if not hundreds of thousands.
Co-founder and CEO of GetAgent.co.uk, Colby Short, commented: “While it's always recommended that you attend an organised fireworks celebration, there’s something special and memorable about hosting your own party at home, with your own fire and fireworks.
"But safety has got to be at the front of mind throughout the whole evening, not least if there are children running around. The good news is that most fire safety measures are also common sense.
"But it’s the constant vigilance that can be difficult to maintain, so the question is do you have the patience to be constantly on watch at your party? If not, it’s probably best to attend an organised community event where you can properly let your hair down instead.”
