Brits Spend £2,000 Over Last 12 Months on Home Improvements

LONDON, July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

New research from Everest reveals a staggering number of Brits want nicer homes, spending on average over £2,000 on home improvements over the last 12 months alone.

• A third of Brits want to make their homes look nicer
• Brits have spent over £2,000 in the last 12 months on home improvements
• Women more keen for DIY improvements compared to men who want to make properties look nicer

Almost a third (30%) of UK adults want to make their homes better, a recent Everest study has revealed. The poll found that a massive 82% of people want to make changes to their homes, however, a number of them have already splashed their cash on home improvements.

Brits have spent an average of £2,057.87 on home changes in the last 12 months, despite the UK falling into a second 'double-dip' recession.

Many may think that under the current economic climate fixing essential problems or reducing energy bills would be high priority for the nation, however only 4% and 16% respectively want to make changes for these reasons.

Those who do want to reduce energy bills are looking to fit double-glazing or solar panels to keep costs down.

Women aged between 35-54 are most likely to be campaigning for change in their households. The research found that 85% of women compared to just 76% of men want to make home improvements.

Women are also those most keen to fix essential problems around the home. Only 2.5% of men want to make changes that involve fixing essential problems, compared to double the number women (5%).

Men, however, are more concerned about making homes look nicer in comparison to women. The Everest research found that a higher percentage of men (32%) want better looking homes than women (29%).

Those aged between 35 and 54 are by far the largest group looking to make home improvements with 92% wanting to do so. Some 60% of them are homeowners with the rest renting, living with parents or in 'other' situations.

Notes to Editors:

Entrants to the survey had to answer questions included; 'Is there anything you would change about your home?' 'What is the main reason that you would change something about your home?' and 'how much money have you spent on home improvements over the past 12 months?'