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The Damage Caused In Home Alone Would Have Cost Nearly £9,000 To Repair

The Damage Caused In Home Alone Would Have Cost Nearly £9,000 To Repair

UK homeowners are most likely to be burgled in December... here's how to protect without the pricey repair cost

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

There was a heated door knob (which left permanent scarring - see Home Alone 2), blow torch drama and water damage - because they're not called the Wet Bandits for nothing.

But just how much damage did Harry and Marv cost when they broke into the home of eight-year-old Kevin McCallister who was mistakenly left behind when his family flew to Paris? £8,900 ($11,600) to be precise.

The first floor bill.
MyBuilder.com

According to Carl Goulding from trade-finding service MyBuilder.com, the 4,250 square foot, three storey Winnetka, Illinois home featured in the film would have racked up nearly £9,000 worth of repair bills. Thank heavens it's all fictional, eh?

The innovative boobytraps set up to deter the daft duo included a heated doorknob (£100 to replace), a tar covered staircase (£700 to clean up), and flying paint cans which when combined with the glue and feathers Kevin coated the pair in, could add up to approximately £3,000 (due to the paint and varnish damage to the floorboards and walls).

In addition to this was the hefty price tag of their neighbours' flooded basement (£2,200), general damage to the property including broken shelves, dents to the walls and blow torch scorches (£1,800), and a much needed deep clean of the property (£600).

The second price and final cost.
MyBuilder.com

But why are we bringing this to your attention? Well, while this level of damage is pretty unlikely to happen in real life, burglaries and the disturbances that come with them unfortunately can and do lead to hefty bills and significant inconvenience for owners.

According to figures from UK Crime stats, in December 2018 there were 36,078 claims of burglaries in the UK alone. This highlights that December is the month where UK homeowners are consistently burdened by break-ins; often when celebrating elsewhere with loved ones.

Don't do a Kevin.
20th Century Fox

David Roebuck, managing director at Swift Direct Blinds, said: "Whilst it may not be real life, the damages racked up by Kevin and the Wet Bandits throughout the Home Alone film are staggering, and not something homeowners would ever want to be faced with.

"That said, protecting your home is hugely important, especially around Christmas time when we're away from home more than we usually would be, and of course there are plenty of presents lying around too."

Giving some expert advice, he continued: "Making it appear as though someone is home (even when they're not) is one such method. Other options include smart doorbells, home monitoring systems, lighting and appliance controls via your phone, and even the simple but effective use of blinds from Swift Direct Blinds to hide valuables, can all help.

"Ensuring you're extra vigilant and bringing in as many methods of securing your home as you can is key. As well as looking out for friends, family and neighbours as much as possible is the best way to avoid the house-related problems facing the McCallisters' in the movie."

Featured Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

Topics: Christmas, UK News, News, Money, Home Alone, UK