A homeowner sick of intruders on his driveway said a £34 tool helped protect his home – and saved a fortune.
The man said his DIY bollards blocked prying crooks from sneaking onto his property and the work cost just £300 overall.
The unnamed motorist decided enough was enough after brazen thieves made off with his beloved motorhome, which had been parked outside.
He wrote: ‘Following the theft off our drive of our motorhome in January, I thought I would share my experience of trying to beef up for our newly arrived replacement.’
Following the theft, he decided to purchase a Growler alarm and a Non Starter – which prevents the motor from starting – but he felt a visual deterrent was still needed to halt intruders from accessing his driveway.
The motorhome owner then came up with the idea to install retractable bollards, and began seeking quotes from professionals, who suggested it would cost £2,500 to £3,000.
He told Motorhome Fun: ‘I didn’t want to put bollards across the drive entrance as I knew that we would soon forget or not bother to put them in place every night, and the aim was specifically to protect my new motorhome.
‘I was shocked to receive quotes of £2500 and £3000 for three retractable bollards supplied and fitted.
‘I explained we live close to the beach and our house sits on sand – only about a foot below the soil you hit sand so easy to excavate – but no budging on the price.’
Undeterred, the motorist rolled up his sleeves and embarked on a mission to find a more affordable alternative.
Armed with determination and a DIY spirit, he headed to his local Screwfix to purchase a hole digger for the modest sum of £34, which allowed him to dig a metre-deep hole to fit the bollards in.
He said: ‘I was a bit skeptical but needing about a 1 metre depth, after only 5 minutes I had gone down 1.5metres and had to fill it in.’
He then scoured the internet for the necessary materials to install his own set of bollards, and was able to source the same items that would have been used by the company for just £90.
He added: ‘Some postcrete and chippings later, I soon had the Bollards in place, then I raised the two at the rear slightly as the drive slopes and I wanted to be sure they were high enough. Probably not necessary, but it was best to be sure.’
Altogether, the motorhome owner shelled out £300 on three bollards, a hole digger and filling materials – spending only a tenth of the cost quoted by professionals and saving a whopping £2,700 to keep his new vehicle safe.
He said: ‘Hope this helps anybody looking at installing bollards – I am usually a DIY Disaster so if I can do it, anyone can.’
The RAC has previously recommended installing your own bollards as a method to stop people parking on your drive.
It comes after furious residents in Suffolk have told how students are making their lives a misery by leaving cars outside their houses – with some locals leaving nasty notes to stop youths parking in the area.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
