Renovating
Decorating
What Were Houzz Users Doing and Planning in Their Homes in 2021?
How much did we spend, what work did we undertake and which were the most popular rooms to renovate?
Can you guess how much homeowners spent on renovating their properties last year? Want to know which was the top room to renovate in 2021? Or are you, perhaps, keen to discover the most popular type of home among Houzz users? The 2022 UK Houzz & Home Study reveals insights into the kind of projects Houzz users were tackling, as well as the type of properties we live in.
The annual Houzz & Home Study is the largest survey of residential renovating, building and decorating activity. The 2022 study includes more than 3,200 respondents in the UK alone and was fielded from March to April 2022.
The annual Houzz & Home Study is the largest survey of residential renovating, building and decorating activity. The 2022 study includes more than 3,200 respondents in the UK alone and was fielded from March to April 2022.
How much were we spending?
The amount we spent on home renovation also increased in 2021, with homeowners recording a 20% jump in median renovation spend to £18,000 (up from £15,000 in 2020).
Which age group had the highest spend? Millennials (homeowners aged between 25 and 39) reported spending the most on their home renovations, with a median renovation spend of £25,000.
Looking for a pro to help with your renovation plans? Browse the Houzz Professionals Directory today.
The amount we spent on home renovation also increased in 2021, with homeowners recording a 20% jump in median renovation spend to £18,000 (up from £15,000 in 2020).
Which age group had the highest spend? Millennials (homeowners aged between 25 and 39) reported spending the most on their home renovations, with a median renovation spend of £25,000.
Looking for a pro to help with your renovation plans? Browse the Houzz Professionals Directory today.
What type of homes do we live in?
Modernising older homes was the most popular type of renovation work undertaken in 2021, with more homeowners renovating old properties than newer ones.
Of the homeowners surveyed, the majority (23%) were undertaking work to a property that was built prior to 1900. The next biggest group (19%) were renovating properties built between 1961 and 1980.
Modernising older homes was the most popular type of renovation work undertaken in 2021, with more homeowners renovating old properties than newer ones.
Of the homeowners surveyed, the majority (23%) were undertaking work to a property that was built prior to 1900. The next biggest group (19%) were renovating properties built between 1961 and 1980.
Which rooms did we renovate?
Kitchens remained the most popular interior room to be upgraded for another year running, and they also came in as the room that commanded the highest spend, at £12,000.
However, there were a few surprises, with some previously overlooked rooms getting a dramatic increase in popularity from the previous year.
Boot rooms or entrances, for example, were renovated by 26% of homeowners in 2021. Dining rooms also seem to be making a comeback, with 25% of homeowners updating theirs, along with utility rooms, with 20% of homeowners renovating theirs in 2021.
Kitchens remained the most popular interior room to be upgraded for another year running, and they also came in as the room that commanded the highest spend, at £12,000.
However, there were a few surprises, with some previously overlooked rooms getting a dramatic increase in popularity from the previous year.
Boot rooms or entrances, for example, were renovated by 26% of homeowners in 2021. Dining rooms also seem to be making a comeback, with 25% of homeowners updating theirs, along with utility rooms, with 20% of homeowners renovating theirs in 2021.
Which professionals did we call on?
A huge 92% of homeowners sought help from professionals for their renovations in 2021, an increase from 88% the previous year. Of these, Generation X (homeowners aged between 40 and 54) were the age group most likely to hire a professional, with 95% of this group reporting working with a pro last year.
Builders (34%) and architects (23%) were the most-hired professionals in construction- and design-related services, but electricians and plumbers also had a busy year, with 58% and 53% of homeowners hiring them respectively.
You might also enjoy What Happens When You Hire a Professional?
A huge 92% of homeowners sought help from professionals for their renovations in 2021, an increase from 88% the previous year. Of these, Generation X (homeowners aged between 40 and 54) were the age group most likely to hire a professional, with 95% of this group reporting working with a pro last year.
Builders (34%) and architects (23%) were the most-hired professionals in construction- and design-related services, but electricians and plumbers also had a busy year, with 58% and 53% of homeowners hiring them respectively.
You might also enjoy What Happens When You Hire a Professional?
What kind of work are we undertaking?
There was a fairly equal split between renovation work and decorating projects in 2021. Just over half of homeowners (53%) undertook renovation work in their homes last year, while 58% tackled decorating and furnishing projects.
General upkeep and repairs also kept us on our toes, with 40% of homeowners undertaking repairs in 2021.
There was a fairly equal split between renovation work and decorating projects in 2021. Just over half of homeowners (53%) undertook renovation work in their homes last year, while 58% tackled decorating and furnishing projects.
General upkeep and repairs also kept us on our toes, with 40% of homeowners undertaking repairs in 2021.
How long do we spend planning vs renovating?
If you’re wondering how long it takes to plan a project, you should allow roughly double the construction time, according to our data from 2021.
The average time taken to plan a kitchen project last year, for example, was 10.2 months, with an average construction time of 5.2 months.
For a bathroom renovation, the average planning time was 9.8 months followed by an average construction time of 3.9 months.
If you’re wondering how long it takes to plan a project, you should allow roughly double the construction time, according to our data from 2021.
The average time taken to plan a kitchen project last year, for example, was 10.2 months, with an average construction time of 5.2 months.
For a bathroom renovation, the average planning time was 9.8 months followed by an average construction time of 3.9 months.
What did we get up to in the garden?
When surveyed about their garden projects, homeowners reported three top upgrades.
The most popular outdoor feature was planting, with 32% of respondents updating their garden beds and borders, while 29% of homeowners took the opportunity to update their boundary fencing. A further 29% brought colour and life into their outdoor spaces with new planters or planter boxes.
Tell us…
What kind of projects did you undertake in 2021? Share your stories and photos in the Comments.
When surveyed about their garden projects, homeowners reported three top upgrades.
The most popular outdoor feature was planting, with 32% of respondents updating their garden beds and borders, while 29% of homeowners took the opportunity to update their boundary fencing. A further 29% brought colour and life into their outdoor spaces with new planters or planter boxes.
Tell us…
What kind of projects did you undertake in 2021? Share your stories and photos in the Comments.
2021 was a busy year for homeowners, with home renovation activity and spend hitting a four-year high. More than half of all homeowners surveyed (53%) renovated last year.
Many of us were realising projects that had been some time in the planning, too. 38% of homeowners reported that they were renovating now because they ‘wanted to do it all along and finally had the time’, with 37% saying they were undertaking work now because they ‘finally had the financial means’.