Cost of home repairs halve in 2 years

PLUMBERS, painters and electricians have been forced to slash their hourly rates following the recent property slump.

The cost of an average home improvement project has also dropped by almost 60% since 2007, with many homeowners now opting to renovate rather than move.

Plumbers have reduced their hourly charges from €109 to €59 while electricians have dropped from €65 per hour to €40 in the past two years.