Knauf Insulation: Brits 'Spending Less On Home Improvements'
Submitted by: I-Newswire
2012-05-11 03:00:07
UK (OPENPRESS) May 10, 2012 - Property owners across the UK are spending less on home improvements as many people are finding it difficult to make ends meet, it has been claimed.
Andrew Leech, director at the National Home Improvement Council, said the standard of the nation's housing could come under pressure if more is not done to provide support for people to take out renovation and home improvements projects - such as DIY cavity wall or loft insulation installation programmes.
He made his comments in response to the publication of research from Lloyds TSB, which highlighted a significant decline in the level of spending by UK homeowners on DIY tasks and home improvements over recent months.
Mr Leech said: "If we are going to maintain the current housing stock to the level that it deserves then a lot more personal money has got to be put in to the improvements.
"When I say 'improvements' I'm really just talking about rudimentary things such as repairing dripping taps, getting electrical problems seen to, repainting so that things don't rot, or replacing windows if they get broken."
The research showed DIY spending has now fallen to its lowest level in 15 years in the UK, with household expenditure totalling £7.8 billion on DIY projects in 2011 - the equivalent of £300 per household.
It is a significant drop from the peak of the market that was seen in 2004 (£15.5 billion) and it is the lowest result since 1996.
According to Gordon Miller, co-founder and sustainability and communications director of Sustain Worldwide, UK homeowners should take a holistic approach to home improvements and property sustainability, as this is the best method to achieve savings and reduce emissions.
Indeed, Brits should look to complementary green technologies in order to get the best results in bringing down their overall energy consumption.
