Latest research finds property owners are improving rather than moving 

In a new study, the bespoke garden rooms experts at Haon Garden Rooms surveyed over 1,000 homeowners to find out if they would rather move homes or improve, and why that was. 

With the current state of the housing market seeing a two year high in house prices1, it’s no surprise that nearly 60% of people would rather improve their current home than move to a new one.

Would you prefer to move or improve? 

Haon Garden Rooms found that nearly 60% of people would rather improve their home they currently live in than moving to somewhere new.  

Over two-thirds (66.10%) of 16- to 24-year-olds said they would rather improve their home over any other demographic, perhaps due to the costs of new homes today in comparison to older generations.  

What are your main reasons for wanting to improve your home? 

Loving their current location was the most common reason for homeowners wanting to improve their home, with over half (55.91%) of people citing this as their reason. Location was the most popular reason amongst the over 55s (64.53%) as to why they would rather improve their home instead of moving.  Typically, people associate the older demographic as most likely to move home to downsize but our data shows otherwise. A previous study2 on the over 55’s showed that more than half (59%) regretted downsizing as they miss the extra space, garden or location they were in, suggesting we’re starting to see a change in this trend.

Wanting to avoid the hassle of moving was the second most common reason with over a third of people selecting this (36.71%). Of the 53.85% of people from Sheffield who said they would rather improve than move, half of them said avoiding the hassle of moving was their biggest reason.

The third reason was wanting to customise or update their home rather than moving with more than a third (35.94%) selecting this. Homeowners aged between 25 and 34 said this was their top reason for staying where they lived (53.06%).

Over a third of people (30.88) said that the potential to add value to the property they live in was their main reason for not wanting to move homes. A recent study by the Home Owners Alliance3 revealed the top ways in which you can add value to your property, from knocking down a wall to adding a garden room which could add up between £10,000 to £36,000 to the value of your home.

What would be your biggest concerns when considering home improvements? 

Haon Garden Rooms found that the cost of improvements is the biggest concern when it came to improving your home with 41.84% of people saying this, the survey showed that this was a bigger concern for women with 44.4% choosing this against 39.67% of men. Although this is a big concern for a lot of people, moving house is very expensive with stamp duty alone costing up to £25,0004. However, if you invested that into your current home and increased the square footage you will in turn add value to your property.

With quite a big drop in percentage in second place ‘disruption during renovations’ is the second biggest concern, with 19.48% of people saying. Residents of Wales seemed to be most concerned with this at 25.45% of people versus only 12.26% of people in the South West being concerned about this.

“Our recent survey reveals that homeowners are increasingly prioritising renovations due to enjoying their location and wanting to avoid the hassle of moving. If you’re considering renovating, it’s crucial to focus on key areas like budget planning, sustainable materials, and professional advice. A well thought out renovation not only improves your home’s functionality but can also significantly increase its market value. Start with a clear vision, and ensure your updates are both practical and future-proof.”
Jason Mennie, Managing Director and bespoke garden rooms expert, Haon Garden Rooms

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