Survey reveals most loved and loathed home improvements

Selling a home is never easy, but it could be even harder if your property has some of the most loathed improvements of the past 50 years, as identified in new research from Anglian Home Improvements.

Over 2,000 adults who are current homeowners - including those who are planning to sell in the future - or planning to buy were polled for Anglian Home Improvements’ Evolution of the Home research.

The results offer invaluable advice for homeowners looking at putting their property on the market in 2016 and show that the trend for open plan living is firmly on its way out as Brits look for clear function from their leisure spaces.

A separate dining room was voted as the second most loved home improvement trend, as selected by 56% of respondents, followed by a TV/music/cinema room (44%).

However, improving the indoor-outdoor flow of a property through features such as conservatories and bi-fold doors came top as the most loved home improvement of the past 50 years.

Top of the list of the most loathed home improvement trends of the past 50 years is 1970s favourite pebble dashing, as chosen by 52% of those polled, while coloured bathroom suites also made the top three.

It’s not just the inside of the property that will be put under scrutiny by potential buyers and that all-important first impression of the exterior also counts.

Externally, decking came number five on the list of most loved home improvement trends (40%), while crazy paving came high on the list of least loved home improvement trends (43%).

Most Loved Home Improvement Trends:

• Indoor-outdoor flow i.e. bi-fold doors, conservatories (58%)
• Separate dining room (56%)
• TV/music/cinema room (44%)

Least Loved Home Improvement Trends:

• Pebble dashing (52%)
• Crazy paving (43%)
• Coloured bathroom suite (42%)

Adding monetary value to a property was the main reason respondents gave for making improvements to their home, cited by almost half of those polled (47%). One in three respondents said they made home improvements as it was more cost effective than moving to a new property.

Melanie McDonald, Head of PR and Brand Marketing at Anglian Home Improvements, said: “The past 50 years have brought about great advancements in the home but it’s clear from this research some trends have more enduring appeal than others.

“Rising house prices and high deposits mean buyers have less cash on hand available to make alterations to their new home when they move in. Features like coloured bathroom suites that may not have previously been a deal breaker could put someone off buying your property, especially if there is additional work to be done.”

Top 10 most loved home improvements

1) Indoor-outdoor flow (58%)
2) Separate dining room (56%)
3) TV/music/cinema room (44%)
4) Wet room (43%)
5) Decking (40%)
6-7) Dressing room (39%) and open plan living (39%)
8) Gym/exercise area (25%)
9) Coloured bathroom suite (20%)
10) Crazy paving (15%)

Top 10 most loathed home improvements

1) Pebble dashing (52%)
2) Crazy paving (43%)
3) Coloured bathroom suites (42%)
4) Gym/exercise area (26%)
5) Decking (23%)
6) Open plan living (22%)
7) Wet room (16%)
8) TV/music/cinema room (14%)
9) Dressing room (11%)
10) Indoor-outdoor flow (7%) and separate dining room (7%)

Learn more about the survey results and how British homes have evolved over the last five decades here. 

Source : Anglian Home Improvements Press Release