It takes a lockdown (or three) to make us re-evaluate our homes and what we want.
Recent online research from Checkatrade claims over 35 per cent of UK homeowners have fallen out of love with at least one of their rooms – unsurprisingly kitchens and bathrooms are the spaces causing most angst.
The survey found that around £62 billion pounds has been spent by UK homeowners looking to make DIY improvements and spruce up their properties. On average, Brits are spending around £2,000 on jobs around the home – from decorating to replacing a bathroom.
Is your ugly wallpaper driving you mad?
Over half of the people surveyed – 53 per cent claimed to have found more fault with their home during lockdown. Whilst changing the décor was something 40 per cent of homeowners put on their to-do lists, with 16 per cent of owners desperate to remove ugly wall paper. Key drivers sparking a desire in people to move house was a need for more storage (27%) and more space (28%).
“During lockdown, we have seen buyers reassessing their lifestyles and looking at what living space they need for physical and mental well-being. For many, working from home and accommodating home schooling has been a catalyst for change. There is a strong demand from buyers for flexible family homes or the potential to create more space inside and out.”
Checkatrade discovered from its survey that 47 per cent of UK homeowners would sacrifice lockdown luxuries, including chocolate (17%), wine and beer (16%), or their gaming device (14%) to find a tradesperson to sort out their DIY problems.
“6 per cent of homeowners surveyed said they’d give up their partner to get a qualified tradesperson in to fix a problem in their home!”
For many people with far more time spent at home, they’ve embraced the lockdown to get busy making their indoor and outdoor spaces cater for their needs. The top ten new projects homeowners have undertaken are:
Top 10 new spaces created:
- Vegetable plot
- Workstation
- Garden seating area
- Outdoor social space
- Gym
- Home schooling area
- Meditation zone
- Man cave
- Playroom
- Games room
