Enter the Ixo, launched by Bosch in 2003 - a small, sleek and decidedly cute cordless screwdriver. Bosch also offers the Isio, a marvel of a garden trimmer, while Black & Decker has the nifty Mouse sander, and there’s the revolver range from new kid on the block Worx. In the 21st century, it seems, power tool manufacturers targeting the domestic DIY market have realised that customers are demanding a bit more design flair.

What is the world coming to? But seriously, everyone knows that the best products are a happy marriage of form and function.

You can read the full article to find out more - and don’t forget to check out our very own tips for buying power tools.

• Save 20 per cent on fast-fix laminate flooring
• Save up to 25 per cent on designer radiators
• Spend £50 or more and save 20 per cent on all Wickes paints
• Save £40 on a timber loft ladder and hatch
• Save 30 per cent on Olympus ceramic floor tiles
• Save £15 on a galvanised mobile toolbox and chest
• Save a third on a portable work light

Bear in mind, as always, that all these offers are time-limited and, while accurate at time of writing, will not perpetually be available.

Last Monday Chancellor Alistair Darling announced the VAT cut in his pre-Budget report in a bid to encourage consumers to spend more and boost the economy.

And it seems that the tactic may be working. While sales are still broadly down on this period last year, they are well up on last month, as would be expected with Christmas approaching and the economy functioning normally.

Department store John Lewis, which trades extensively in homewares, has reported improved Christmas trading and a record week for online shopping.

Elsewhere Marks & Spencer, another retailer with a big homeware department and a dual presence on the high street and online, has been holding 20 per cent off sales.

It has kept many stores open until midnight to tempt customers into taking advantage of special offers.

Elsewhere, Debenhams has dramatically cut prices while administrators for Woolworths reduced some prices last week by up to 50 per cent.

One casualty of the looming recession has been furniture retailer MFI which was forced to call in administrators in October.

And Kingfisher, Europe’s largest home-improvement retailer and owner of B&Q, has reported a decline in its third-quarter UK sales.

The company warned that consumer confidence had been shaken across all its markets.

New kitchens and bathrooms are the changes most likely to increase the value of a house, the survey discovered, with extensions less successful and the least improvement coming from loft conversions and a simple redecoration.

Property TV presenter Phil Spencer said: “The current cooling of the property market is making homeowners think twice about selling up and many are opting to improve instead.”

Lloyds TSB released the figures as part of its push to sell personal loans, but the news still gives useful information showing how householders are reacting to the growing lack of confidence in the economy.

Its survey of more than 500 estate agents found that more than half had experience of customers changing their mind about selling their homes and choosing to improve them instead.

Of the 1000+ householders it spoke to, almost 60 per cent said they’d cancelled plans to sell - and half of those plan to do their home up instead.

Many of those are having to do work that will make it easier to stay in a house that no longer meets their needs, but rather more are hoping to increase the value for a future sale.

Lloyds TSB’s director of personal loans, David Wishart, said the bank had seen a recent increase in home improvement personal loan requests.

He said: “For the last decade homeowners have been able to sit back and rely on rising property prices to increase the equity in their home but sadly this is no longer possible.

“If you want to trade up and avoid substantially increasing your mortgage, you’ll need to add value to the house you’re currently in.”

The survey comes in the wake of a similar one by home insurers Liverpool Victoria (LV), which found that more than £4bn is being spent on home improvements during the current 18-month period by people who have changed their minds about selling.

Average spend is likely to be about £5000 - but almost half the householders surveyed plan to save money by either doing the work themselves or bringing in family members.

LV spokesperson Emma Holyer said: “Despite the challenging housing market and lack of affordable mortgages, we are still a nation obsessed with our homes and what money we can make on them.

“Many homeowners told us they were spending this money so they could profit more on their homes when they do come to sell them after the market has stabilised. This shows that although people are concerned about the short term housing market there does appear to be optimism in the long term.”

• 18V Cordless Drill Kit - comes complete with reversible screw bits and a 10mm keyless chuck. Now £20.
• Foldable Workbench - perfect for use in the garden shed, it boasts a strong construction and can withstand a weight of up to 100kg. It has multi-position vice pegs and an adjustable gripping width. Now £10.
• Scaffold ladders - these two six-rung aluminium scaffold ladders can be used as an extending ladder, a single ladder, a step ladder or a complete scaffolding unit. Supplied with stabiliser and plywood deck. Now £64.50.
• Combination Ladder with Platform - a lightweight, aluminium combination ladder with platform, multi-adjustable, so no height is out of reach. Now £49.50.

Check out Woolworths’ full DIY range here >>

According to a story in The Times, Henry Marsh, a consultant at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, South London, visits Kiev twice a year to assist his colleague Igor Petrovich at a neurology clinic.

In Britain Mr Marsh is accustomed to using a £30,000 medical drill driven by compressed air. But equipment in the Ukrainian capital is so scarce that the men have resorted to a £30 Bosch RSR960 to drill holes through patients’ skulls:

Surgeon uses DIY drill to perform brain operations

…Many of the operations, such as those to remove tumours, are done without general anaesthetic – a common practice in this type of surgery. By talking to the patient, surgeons can gauge precisely how far they can go without damaging vulnerable parts of the brain.

Mr Marsh has now taken a drill designed for medical use to Kiev. “I’m not recommending that we should all use Bosch do-it-yourself drills in England,” Mr Marsh said. “But it shows how with improvisation you can achieve a lot. Read on here…

Here’s a summary of what you can get your hands on:

• 40 per cent off 18V cordless drill/driver - a two-speed gearbox, forward and reverse actions, 16 torque settings, supplied with two batteries, two screwdriver bits and a one-hour fast charger. Now selling at £49.99.
• Up to 20 per cent off a wide selection of tools - including hand tools, power tools, storage, ladders and brushes.
• 30 per cent off a Victorian interior door - this silkwood four-panel traditional door is now selling for £69.99.
• 20 per cent off selected radiators - a wide range of convection styles to suit all spaces.
• Up to 40 per cent off selected flooring and tiles - pick up all styles of flooring here.

Check Easter delivery dates here and visit this page to see all the retailer’s current deals.

One school of thought believes that DIY might get a shot in the arm from uncertainty about the housing market, saying that householders are choosing to improve when they can’t move.

If this sounds appealing, then what’s the best approach to take to maximising the value and enjoyment you get from your living space? Here are Times writer Kasia Maciejowska’s tips for 10 great ways to add value to your home:

Top ten: Home improvements

MOVE or improve? A familiar question if you’re faced with lack of space, a growing family or itchy feet. With 58 per cent of us improving our homes over the past year (12 per cent more than the year before), we prefer making do to moving out.

Faced with high house prices, the popular solution is to expand or improve with the aim of adding value – and now younger people are getting involved, with 68 per cent of people between 18 and 34 investing time and money in doing up their home.

So how to achieve that extra £100,000? A fifth of improvers think a kitchen extension will add the most value, although the most common project is redecoration, making up two thirds of all home improvements. Here we give ten of the best projects to make the most of your home.

Valuers at Halifax say an extension is the top option for adding value, as long as work is properly carried out. For structural projects employ a professional to ensure you comply with planning regulations. A good extension should create at least one extra room and be used to bring light into the house.

A loft conversion is the second most profitable option. While maximising existing space, it can increase the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, two key valuation factors. Read full article here…

B&Q has some great offers at the moment which could net you up to 50 per cent on popular products. Here are the ones that caught our eye:

• All cupboard doors and drawer fronts half price - until March 13
• Get 50 per cent off an EVA pendant light – until March 13. Was £83, now £41.
• Spring savings on building accessories - everything from sealant and resin to lighting, tape and fixings.

Follow this link for details of all the retailer’s special offers.

There’s a huge range to choose from, including adhesives and sealants, car care and accessories, DIY products, hardware and fixings, home decorating, plumbing and ventilation, power tools and woodworking.

There’s bound to be something there that’s just what you’re looking for - definitely worth a visit and a browse!

* The retailer has specified no closing date for these offers - they are current as this post is written but will clearly not remain available indefinitely. See our terms and conditions for more details or visit our shop to search for current prices.