Home Improvement Trends: What Savvy Bristol Residents Need to Know

The pandemic didn’t just trigger an exodus of city slickers moving to the country, it also kick-started a multi-billion-pound home renovation boom.

UK property owners spent £110 billion on home improvements* last year – a 30% increase year-on-year.

While some people kept things simple by giving a few rooms a lick of paint, others embarked on major projects resulting in a 25% increase in planning applications for home extensions.**

What kind of renovations are popular right now? Let’s examine an analysis of planning applications compiled by Barbour ABI.

Most popular home improvements

Garage developments

Applications to develop garages (and turn them into home offices or additional living space) soared by 25%. The trend was most notable in Scotland, where applications rose by 50%.

Garden buildings and works

There was a 7.5% hike in applications, reflecting our growing desire to spend more time in our gardens connecting with nature. (This only represents a small proportion of the garden rooms that were installed, as many did not require planning permission.)

Extensions

Far and away the most popular type of home improvement requiring planning permission, extensions accounted for 81.7% of all applications – and were up by 4.3%.

Out of favour

Conservatories

It seems the conservatory may have been eclipsed by the garden room/home office as there was a 21% drop in the number of planning applications for conservatories.

Loft conversions

Applications for loft conversions dropped by 9%. Historically, loft conversions have been popular in areas such as London, where people develop upwards because they don’t have the space to build outwards. But last year, many homeowners with families left the capital, which might explain why this type of development waned in popularity.

Conclusions

The pandemic has brought about a re-evaluation of how we live, with many people wanting more space – but not just any sort of space. People want the ability to work from home, but to get away from children and distractions, hence the rise in garden rooms and garage conversions instead of more open plan style spaces.

For expert advice about adding value to your property, get in touch with us here at Sarah Clark Property Consultants.

*Powered Now

**Barbour ABI

How Home Sellers in Bristol Can Avoid Fall-Through Agony

by Georgia Smith

We’re about to banish a myth that many people still believe about selling a home. The misconception is that once you’ve accepted an offer for your property, the hard work is done. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Yes,...

Read this article

Eight Ways Bristol Homeowners and Buyers Can Outfox Scammers

by Becky Reardon

In this three-minute read, we look at a devious dupe that fraudsters use to rip off homeowners. Fraudsters will go to great lengths to make a buck – and that includes trying to steal a home from under the owner’s nose. Now,...

Read this article

2021 Paint Trends: Why Magnolia is Out, and Dead Salmon is in!

by Becky Reardon

In this three-minute read, we look at the paint colours that are making a splash in 2021. For millions of Brits, getting through this pandemic has been a case of “Keep Calm and Carry On with DIY”. To stop themselves from...

Read this article

The Five Most Common Renovation Blunders

by Becky Reardon

In this two-minute read, we look at the home renovations that don’t add value – and can make it harder to sell your property. If there’s a chance you could sell your Bristol home in the next few years, think before you rush...

Read this article