New research has revealed that homeowners are planning kitchen and bathroom renovations, decorating, and external works in the next year.
According to Häfele UK, which has shared the findings in its new Homes for Living report, a third of UK homeowners are prioritising home improvements over making plans to move. On top of this, the one in ten people who need or want to move, but can’t due to the costs and challenges associated with buying and selling, are putting their plans on hold to improve their current home.
The research also showed that the home improvements topping the nation’s wish list are interior decorating, 29%, new kitchens, 23%, bathroom renovations, 21%, flooring updates, 21%, and new doors, 15%. Other planned projects include external works such as roofing, gutters and external paintwork, 14%, new windows, 14%, building a downstairs toilet, 11%, installing a new boiler, 10%, and adding new lighting, 9%.
In the research, over a third of homeowners who want or need a new kitchen said they’re considering replacing just some of the components, with over a fifth saying they would keep existing cabinets and drawers and replace the frontals. When it comes to keeping on top of colour and style trends, over a third said they’d achieve this by just updating their accessories including taps, handles and splashbacks.
When it comes to the motives behind changing their kitchens, 25% of homeowners said updating the style is most important and 23% said needing to improve the quality of their space. Challenges with their current kitchens were also top drivers making consumers plan for a refurb, such as not having enough storage, 19%, or being functional enough, 13%.
The areas in the UK most likely to make home improvements in the next year are Wales, 58%, and Yorkshire and Humber, 48%. The least likely is Northern Ireland, 32%, though a third of homeowners still have it on their agenda.