- A house extension is deemed the scariest home improvement renovation by a sweeping majority of 58% of homeowners. This is followed by a loft conversion (50%), new kitchen (45%) and bathroom installation (40%).
- 1 in 2 homeowners admit to carrying out home improvement works themselves and roping in family and friends to help, with a third (32%) confessing works would have had a better finish if completed by a professional.
20th October 2021 – New research from find-a-tradesperson platform, Rated People, has revealed the top 10 scariest home improvement projects, according to homeowners.
Topping the list of home renovations that give us goosebumps and deemed the most daunting by homeowners is a house extension (58%), closely followed by a loft conversion (50%), new kitchen (45%) and bathroom installation (40%)[1]. This is unsurprising given the biggest worries homeowners have when it comes to renovating include spiralling costs (58%), the mess incurred from building works (41%) and a disruption to daily routines (36%)[2]. No wonder 72% of homeowners admit to putting off a renovation at least once!
There is no doubt that there has been a home improvement boom over the last year as national lockdowns led to people spending more time at home. Not only did almost half of homeowners (46%) improve their homes[3], but many also tried picking up tools for the first time and combatting DIY tasks themselves. In a survey commissioned by Rated People and completed by 2,000 UK homeowners, 44% say they completed a home renovation project in the last year, and 1 in 2 (50%) admit to carrying out the work themselves and roping in family and friends to help.[4] However, a third (32%) did confess that even though they are pleased with the final result of their recent renovation, it could have had a better finish if completed by a professional[5].
Scariest home improvement projects, according to homeowners[6]
| Rank | Home Improvement Project | Percentage of homeowners who deem the home improvement task extremely daunting and stressful |
| 1. | House Extension, e.g. side or back extension | 58% |
| 2. | Loft Extension | 50% |
| 3. | Kitchen Installation | 45% |
| 4. | Bathroom Installation | 40% |
| 5. | Garage Conversion | 29% |
| 6. | Solar Panel Installation | 29% |
| 7. | Fireplace Installation | 25% |
| 8. | Boiler Servicing or Installation | 22% |
| 9. | Garden Design | 13% |
| 10. | Painting and Decorating | 12% |
Adrienne Minster, CEO of Rated People, comments:
“It is great to see so many homeowners continuing to invest in home improvements. DIY has been strong over the last year and homeowners are posting 40% more trade jobs on Rated People now, compared to this time of year before the pandemic. However, it is important to recognise that many still find home improvements daunting, especially the bigger projects like an extension.
There will of course be a level of disturbance as works get underway but by sourcing skilled and professional tradespeople who can not only carry out the works, but also offer expert advice and help with planning and design, there is no reason why projects can’t run smoothly. Tradespeople can help these homeowners and win business by being aware of the common renovation worries and looking to reduce them as part of their routine planning process.”
[1] External Research carried out by Sapio Research Limited on behalf of Rated People, October 2021
[2] External Research carried out by Sapio Research Limited on behalf of Rated People, October 2021
[3] https://www.ratedpeople.com/blog/home-improvement-trends-report
[4] External Research carried out by Sapio Research Limited on behalf of Rated People, October 2021
[5] External Research carried out by Sapio Research Limited on behalf of Rated People, October 2021
[6] External Research carried out by Sapio Research Limited on behalf of Rated People, October 2021