Homeowners in Britain could spend £4.94 billion before Christmas purely on improvements to their homes and gardens according to research by market research company, Kantar.
Despite the many home improvements that have been made since March this year, homeowners are still saying that they have work to do, of which 60% of respondents revealed they plan to paint their home and 37% planning on fixing or building furniture.
Strategic insight Director at Kantar, Joanna Parman, said, “The DIY season normally runs from spring until October half term to coincide with warmer weather and longer days. But this is no normal year and, as restrictions tighten again, 25% of respondents are planning additional tasks before the end of October. A larger 34% intend to complete jobs before Christmas. If shoppers follow through with their plans, it will mean an additional £552 million is spent on DIY between September and December compared with last year – including an extra £124 million on garden work and £119 million on homeware items.”
Although the research somewhat speaks for the DIY sector this still provides positive insights for the home improvement and renewable energy sector for those who wish to look to professionals as opposed to DIY. The research also revealed that younger people are more likely to rely solely on tradespeople in the future.
If consumers are planning to bring in the professionals, we would always recommend they use an accredited member of a consumer protection scheme such as the Double Glazing and Conservatory Scheme (DGCOS) or the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Scheme (HICS) or consumer code the Home Insulation and Energy Systems Quality Assured Scheme (HIES).
Adrian Simpson, Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at DGCOS, HICS and HIES, commented, “Using a trade member of DGCOS, HIES or HICS ensures that consumers are dealing with vetted and accredited tradespeople. Should things go wrong, we can help resolve any problems with access to quality insurance-backed guarantees, industry-leading dispute resolution and free access to an Ombudsman.”