A study by RIBA revealed that UK property developers are building smaller houses than ever before, making UK houses some of the smallest in Europe. In addition recent research by RatedPeople.com has uncovered that over 70% of Brits would rather live in a pre-1990’s property, because they are perceived to be better built with bigger rooms.
Therefore buyers who are trading up may not get the extra space they’re looking for, with the most common new build, 3-bedroom home only 77% of the recommended size – the space equivalent to two double bedrooms. For this reason Jonnie Irwin spent last Friday morning in a shoebox (a very small radio studio), being interviewed by radio stations across the UK about the size of British homes, and suggested that for many people it may be better to ‘improve, not move’. Watch this video to find out more.
With the soaring costs of stamp duty and estate agent fees- which for a £300,000 house can be around £15,000 – the addition of an extension or conversion could be a more viable financial and lifestyle choice than you first thought! If you need more space and are considering trading up to get an extra bedroom or more living space, think about what kind of property you’re buying and whether you might be able to increase your living space more cost-effectively than moving to a new house.
If you do decide to ‘improve, not move’ we have 1000’s of quality, local tradesmen who are experts at making the best of what you’ve got. Simply post your home improvement job on RatedPeople.com and we’ll put you in contact with up to 3 tradesmen in your local area, they’ll quote for your job, you’ll be able to review their online ratings and select your preferred tradesman to carry out the work.
Do you want to get more tips from our renovation and property expert Jonnie Irwin? We’ll you’re in luck, Jonnie writes regular blog posts for us which you can read here.
Comments
One response to “The answer to shameful ‘shoebox homes’ – improve, don’t move – interview with Jonnie Irwin”
Unfortunately, we are faced with a couple of problems.
1. The country is already crowded, and the population is rising daily.
2. We have limited space on which to build, and if the warnings of rising sea levels and the risks of building on flood plains are to be believed then this space will become even more limited.
Faced with these obstacles we must accept that smaller houses will have to become the norm.