Data released by the find-a-tradesperson platform shows the pandemic is still influencing the types of improvements we want to make to our homes, and in 2022, it seems we have hit the bottle.
The findings are taken from the 2022 Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report which analysed more than 800,000 home improvement jobs by homeowners around the UK.
The study shows homeowners plan to invest most of their money on maximising space, creating new areas to entertain and relax in, and enhancing the functionality of their homes in 2022.
When looking at how homeowners want to spend their home improvement budget this year, four of the top five adaptations are around space optimisation. Extensions top the priority list, with an average planned spend of just under £19,000. Homeowners are budgeting around £17,000 to create a self-contained annex to create extra space for family or friends to live in, and for a conservatory or orangery, they’re looking to spend just over £15,000.
Interestingly, fifth on the priority list when it comes to the amount of money homeowners want to spend, is breaking up open-plan designs – homeowners are now keener to create multiple usable spaces within the home, and building walls to break up open-plan zones is one of 2022’s top five improvements that they want to spend the most money on.
After the stress and challenges of the last two years, 7% say they’ll be building a home bar in 2022, setting aside around £14,000 to do so. This is a larger budget than homeowners are willing to spend on home gyms, a new kitchen, or a new porch.
The top 10 home improvements that homeowners want to spend the most money on in 2022:
Building an extension - £18,580
Building an annex - £16,731
Adding an en-suite bathroom - £15,885
New conservatory/orangery - £15,564
Building a wall to create separate rooms - £13,977
Creating a home bar - £13,939
Creating a home gym - £13,574
New kitchen - £12,057
New porch - £11,252
Adapting a room to make it multifunctional - £10,772
Most Popular Home Improvement Jobs for 2022
When it comes to the jobs most people want to do this year, 38% of us want to revitalise our homes with a lick of paint. The top 10 jobs that homeowners want to do the most in 2022 include staples like new kitchens and new bathrooms, but pandemic-influenced improvements like creating multifunctional space, home bars, and outdoor entertaining areas are also now more popular than ever.
The top ten improvement jobs UK homeowners want to do the most in 2022:
Painting – 38%
New carpet – 21%
Garden landscaping – 19%
New bathroom – 14%
New wooden flooring – 12%
New kitchen – 11%
Tiling – 11%
New windows – 11%
Creating multifunctional spaces – 11%
Building an outdoor entertaining area – 9%
Adrienne Minster, CEO of Rated People commented: “The ways in which we use our homes are constantly evolving, but the pandemic has caused a more rapid shift, with us wanting even more space and now additional areas in the home to do different things like entertain, work and exercise. The home has never been used so much, in so many different ways, as it is now.
"Our priorities are shifting, with homeowners wanting to use more of their money on creating new spaces for at-home socialising, instead of spending it on staples like a new kitchen. 2022 is definitely the year of the home bar!”
