Expenditure on home improvements in 2020 grows by 30 % exceeding £ 100 billion - so what did we actually build ?

• 5 million Brits redecorated the rooms in their homes

• 1.5 million Brits built an outhouse during lockdown

• Over a million Brits built home-gyms and extensions

Ben Dyer , CEO of Powered Now , discusses the impact that increasing consumer purchase power has had on the trades .

Over the course of the pandemic , home was very much where the heart was forced to stay , and as a result of multiple lockdowns , house renovations have steadily

become Britain ’ s favourite pastime .

Using this as an opportunity to improve their surroundings and create more internal differentiation , 48 % of Brits took part in home restorations during lockdown with home offices , builtin gyms , and aesthetic overalls taking the lead .

In new national research by Powered Now - a field service management software for the trades - the total spent by British consumers on home improvements has amounted to £ 110.3bn , signalling an increase in expenditure by 29.7 %. The research also highlights that Brits have spent an average of £ 2,011 per person

on home refurbishments , while the UK property market has witnessed a 10.9 % rise in average property value , it is yet to be established if this is due to the extensive home renovations , or an overcrowded housing market .

Powered Now ’ s unique study has also dissected the exact home improvement projects that Brits have undertaken in the past year , ranging from traditional kitchen replacements , to building home-gyms in a time of commercial closure . The research found that 1.5 million Brits had hired a tradesperson to build an outhouse , while a further 818,000 commissioned tradespeople to build an extension to their homes .

According to independent research by Checkatrade , the most common purposes for home renovations over the lockdown period were for Shed Offices , Home Cinemas and Snugs . Due to periods of prolonged isolation , home comforts were clearly the key for many Brits to battling the difficulties of isolation . This was further highlighted through Powered Now ’ s research that uncovered that home aesthetics had a great importance to Brits , with over 5 million of us employing painters and decorators in the past year .

Key Stats :

• Brits spent £ 110.3bn on home improvements over the course of the pandemic

• 23 % of Brits ( 5,055,000 ) employed painters and decorators

• 19 % of Brits ( 4,177,000 ) employed a tradesperson for wiring and electrics job

• 15 % of Brits ( 3,229,000 ) employed a tradesperson for a bathroom improvement / renovation

• 14 % of Brits ( 3,115,000 ) had a landscaping project during lockdown

• 14 % of Brits ( 2,936,000 ) had undertaken a roofing job

• 13 % of Brits ( 2,765,000 ) had employed a tradesperson for a kitchen replacement / renovation

• 7 % of Brits ( 1,513,000 ) had hired a tradesperson to build an outhouse / shed

• 4 % of Brits ( 818,000 ) had a tradesperson / builder for an extension

• 3 % of the UK ( 696,000 ) had a home gym installed by a tradesperson

The news that consumer spending is through the roof directly correlates from what we have seen on the ground . We have witnessed tradespeople experiencing their highest client demand ever during

despite the initial lockdown bringing the industry to a standstill , the economic bounceback has been quite _remarkable

the course of 2020 , and these figures are very much in line with what we actually would have expected . If you look to the hardware retailers that were allowed to remain open when other non-essential retail wasn ’ t , they have performed so incredibly , further indicating the desire people have had for home improvements .

Of course , there are other factors too . The stamp duty holiday has had a huge trickle down impact for the rest of the trades . Whether it be people looking to renovate after their home moves , or potential sellers giving a new lick of paint to try and squeeze any additional value to their house , tradespeople have been inundated as a result . Despite the initial lockdown bringing the industry to a standstill , the economic bounce-back has been quite remarkable .

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