For insights on the biggest trends in renovation and home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022 READ THE 2022 REPORT

Welcome to this year’s report – the third annual edition, and we hope this is the biggest and best one yet.

For the latest home improvement and renovation insights, check out our Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2023.

In this year’s report, we look at how we redesigned our homes in 2021, and what effect materials shortages, workforce issues from Covid and Brexit, and unprecedented demand had on tradespeople as well as homeowners.

The 2022 report also explores important topics like diversity in the industry, and asks ‘why aren’t there more tradeswomen in the UK?’

Eco is a big focus too – from the most in-demand eco home improvements to the ones that increase the value of your home the most.

We also pinpoint the places, trades and jobs that will have the most consumer demand in 2022, and reveal the most lucrative ways to increase your home’s value – from tried and tested staples like extensions, to trending hacks and improvements on TikTok and Instagram.

How we develop our insights

To create this year’s report, we analysed 867,000 home improvement jobs posted by homeowners on Rated People. We also spoke to more than 2,000 homeowners across the UK, and drew on the expertise and insights of 626 Rated People tradespeople.

To top it all off, we analysed official government data, and worked with Rightmove to access sales insights. We delved into Google search volume to uncover a host of insights about homeowner demand, plus took to TikTok and Instagram to discover the biggest décor trends for 2022.

We really hope you like this year’s report. If it’s inspired you to make some home improvements, find a tradesperson now.

The post Introduction to the Trends Report 2022 appeared first on Rated People Blog.

For insights on the biggest trends in renovation and home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022 READ THE 2022 REPORT

Whether you’re looking to sell, or you’re just keen to update your home, we’ve discovered this year’s biggest home improvement trends and how much value they can add to your home. 

We analysed 800,000 home improvement jobs posted on Rated People – from new kitchens to loft conversions and painting, and dived into TikTok, Instagram and Google data to uncover 2022’s top trends.

We then spoke to thousands of potential homebuyers about which adaptations and design features they’re looking for the most from their next home and how much extra they’d be willing to pay for each one.  

Our research shows if you implemented all 20 of this year’s biggest home improvement trends on TikTok and Instagram, you could increase the value of your home by £105,000!

Read on for:

• 2022’s biggest home improvement trends
• How much value each of the top 20 trends can add
• The home improvements that add the most value

For the latest home improvement and renovation insights, check out our Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2023.

2022’s biggest home improvement trends 

Whilst not every interior design trend is everyone’s cup of tea (we’re looking at you foam mirrors!), TikTok and Instagram are great places to find inspiration.

We looked at hundreds of home improvement trends and created a popularity score for each one by combining the total views on TikTok, with the number of hashtags on Instagram, and the annual UK search volume on Google. We then ranked the trends to reveal the top 20 for 2022.

Natural materials, neutral colour palettes and vintage charm are key trends, with living walls, pampas grass décor, flagstone floors and Cottagecore all featuring in the top 20 biggest trends for 2022. But bold is still popular, with dark kitchens, pink bathrooms, maximalism, and colour blocking also making the top 20 list.

This year’s most popular home improvement trend is Herringbone floors – videos that showcase the flooring have been watched a staggering 72.3 million times on TikTok! There are almost 100,000 Instagram posts about the trend and people have googled ‘herringbone floor’ 40,000 times in the UK over the last year.  

Alfresco dining is also a big trend on TikTok, with videos of outdoor kitchens clocking up an impressive 56 million views. The trend also boasts around 450,000 Instagram posts with people sharing their outside dining set ups.

When it comes to kitchens inside the home, green kitchens and dark kitchens are some of the trends taking TikTok by storm. Views for green kitchens have topped 38 million on TikTok and they’ve received almost 10,000 annual searches on Google.

Whilst there are many shades of green to choose from, dark kitchens are also still proving popular. Dark shades can be a punchy design feature, giving you a more interesting focal point within the home, and they’re perfect for making lighter worktops really stand out.  

Both Grandmillennial décor and Cottagecore décor also feature in the list. Grandmillennial style sees the likes of Laura Ashley prints, embroidered linens and quirky ruffles making a comeback, and it’s had over 3.8 million views on TikTok alone. Cottagecore decor, a rustic romantic trend, has had over 2.8 million Instagram posts and almost a million TikTok views.

2022’s top 20 home improvement trends:

How much value the top 20 trends can add to your home

Six in 10 homeowners are planning to recreate at least one of the top 20 trends this year, and if you do all 20, you could increase your home’s value by £105,046!

With so many of us now working from home, the study shows a dedicated home office space can add almost £6,500 to your home’s value.

In second and third place it’s all about the kitchen – a kitchen pantry will add almost £6,000 of value to your selling price and an outdoor kitchen could increase your home’s value by around £5,700.

The rest of the top 10 trends that will increase the value of your home the most are related to neutral palettes and natural materials. Vintage furniture, neutral décor and flagstone flooring can all bump up your sale’s figure by over £5,500. And herringbone flooring, Cottagecore décor and Grandmillennial décor can increase your home’s value by around £5,400.

How much value 2022’s most popular home improvement trends can add to your home:

The home improvements that add the most value to your property in 2022

Alongside this year’s biggest trends, our research also looked into the home improvements that are now the most attractive to buyers in general. Buyers now want their new home to suit new ways of living, and it looks like having more space, multi-functional rooms, and areas for working out and entertaining are now more desirable.

Topping the list is a self-contained annex, adding an impressive £17,003 to the value of a property, as buyers look for those extra pockets of space around the home. You could also achieve this by converting existing rooms or a garage, or by building an extension or garden room.

Another space-adding improvement is a new orangery or conservatory – this was the fourth most wanted feature in the list, adding over £13,500 to the value of a property.

Having a home gym can add almost £12,000 onto your home’s value. An outdoor entertaining area can increase the value of your home by £11,750 and an outdoor kitchen adds on around £11,500.

If this has inspired you and you’d like to make some changes to your home, you can find trusted local tradespeople right here on Rated People – from bathroom fitters and electricians, to builders and plasters and renderers.

The top 20 value adding home improvements: 

1. Self-contained annex – £17,003 
2. New roof – £15,407 
3. Newly renovated kitchen – £13,877 
4. New orangery/ conservatory – £13,611 
5. New windows throughout – £12,784 
6. Separate kitchen/diner and lounge – £12,379 
7. Large open plan space – £12,103 
8. Home gym – £11,927 
9. Newly renovated bathroom – £11,906 
10. En-suite bathroom – £11,817 
11. Outdoor entertaining area – £11,757 
12. Landscaped garden – £11,741 
13. Home office room, in the house – £11,706 
14. New driveway – £11,706 
15. Garden office room – £11,648 
16. Outdoor kitchen – £11,549 
17. New porch – £11,015 
18. Downstairs toilet – £11,000 
19. New wooden flooring throughout – £10,896 
20. New stone/tiled flooring – £10,876 

For more of this year’s home improvement trends, check out the full 2022 Home Improvement Trends Report.

The post How to boost your home’s value by £100K appeared first on Rated People Blog.

For insights on the biggest trends in renovation and home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022 READ THE 2022 REPORT

So many of us have wanted to redesign, adapt and remodel our homes over the past two years to cater for new ways of living – so what are the biggest home improvement trends of 2022?

For the latest home improvement and renovation insights, check out our Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2023.

We analysed more than 800,000 jobs on our site posted by UK homeowners to create the 2022 Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report and spoke to thousands of homeowners across the UK to find out this year’s biggest trends.
 

Key trends

The pandemic is still influencing how we want to redesign and renovate our homes – but interestingly, that doesn’t just mean creating lovely home offices. This year is the year of more space, better functionality, and home bars!

However you’d like to improve your home this year – you can find all the local tradespeople you need right here on Rated People – from bathroom fitters, plasterers, and painters and decorators, to carpenters and joiners, and kitchen specialists.

Top home improvement trends for 2022

If we look at how homeowners want to spend their home improvement budget this year, four of the top five adaptations are around space optimisation. Extensions take the top spot, with an average planned spend of just under £19,000.

Fifth on the priority list is dividing up open plan designs – homeowners want to create multiple usable spaces within the home, and building walls to break up open plan zones is one of 2022’s top five improvements that they want to spend the most money on.  

After the stress and challenges of the last two years, one in 13 homeowners (7%) will be building a home bar in 2022, setting aside around £14,000 to do so. This is more money than homeowners are willing to spend on creating home gyms, a new kitchen, or a new porch.

The top 15 home improvements that homeowners want to spend the most money on in 2022:

1. Building an extension – £18,580 (average planned spend for this job)
2. Building an annex – £16,731
3. Adding an en-suite bathroom – £15,885
4. New conservatory/orangery – £15,564
5. Building a wall to create separate rooms – £13,977
6. Creating a home bar – £13,939
7. Creating a home gym – £13,574
8. New kitchen – £12,057
9. New porch – £11,252
10. Adapting a room to make it multifunctional – £10,772
11. Adding an outdoor entertaining area – £10,483
12. New windows throughout – £9,547
13. Tiling – £7,728
14. Garden landscaping – £6,622
15. Painting – £4,743

Most popular home improvement jobs for 2022

When it comes to the jobs we most want to do this year, more than one in three (38%) homeowners want to revitalise their homes with a lick of paint.

In the top 15 jobs that homeowners want to do the most in 2022, there’s staples like new kitchens and new bathrooms, but pandemic-influenced improvements like creating multifunctional space, home bars and outdoor entertaining areas are also now more popular than ever.

The home improvement jobs UK homeowners want to do the most in 2022:

1. Painting – 38% (of UK homeowners want to do this this year)
2. New carpet – 21%
3. Garden landscaping – 19%
4. New bathroom – 14%
5. New wooden flooring – 12%
6. New kitchen – 11%
7. Tiling – 11%
8. New windows – 11%
9. Creating multifunctional spaces – 11%
10. Building an outdoor entertaining area – 9%
11. New roof – 8%
12. Creating a home bar – 7%
13. Adding an extension – 7%
14. Loft conversion – 7%
15. Adding a garden room – 7%

To see the full research, visit the 2022 Home Improvement Trends Report.

The post 2022’s biggest home improvement trends appeared first on Rated People Blog.

For insights on the biggest trends in renovation and home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022 READ THE 2022 REPORT

For the latest home improvement and renovation insights, check out our Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2023.

The pandemic has been challenging for many reasons. But it’s also helped to stimulate a home improvement boom, with more homeowners than ever wanting to adapt and improve their homes.
 

We can reveal which trades have experienced the biggest increases in demand, which towns and cities in the UK have seen demand increase the most and how different tradespeople are planning to adapt their businesses to pull in more work during this home improvement boom.

We analysed more than 800,000 jobs on our site posted by UK homeowners to create the 2022 Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report and our research shows demand for home improvement went up by an incredible 32% last year (2021). If we look back to the start of the pandemic, about two years ago, demand has increased by an impressive 50%.

So, where are the biggest opportunities for tradespeople in 2022, and which are the best ways to capitalise on this boom in demand, whilst also future proofing your businesse for years to come?

The trades that are having the biggest spikes in demand

When looking at the top 10 trades that have seen demand increase the most over the past 12 months, demand for driveway pavers shot up by 73% – which is the biggest jump of any trade.

When compared to the year before, painters and decorators had 61% more enquiries from homeowners in 2021 and demand for traditional craftspeople increased by 53% last year.

In the top 10 list – demand increased by around 40% for every trade last year, and bathroom fitters, builders, stoneworkers, plasterers, kitchen specialists, roofers and cleaners also feature in the top 10.

 Top 10 trades with the biggest increase in demand in 2021:

1. Driveway pavers +73%
2. Painters and decorators +61%
3. Traditional craftspeople +53%
4. Bathroom fitters +50%
5. Builders +46%
6. Stoneworkers +46%
7. Plasterers +42%
8. Kitchen specialists +41%
9. Roofers +40%
10. Cleaners +39%

The places around the UK where demand is increasing the most

If we look into the places around the UK where demand for home improvement rose the most, Llandrindod Wells in Wales saw demand increase by 131% in 2021, which is the biggest rise in the whole of the UK.

Two other places in Wales also make the top 10 – third place Llandudno saw demand go up by 76% and demand increased by 66% in seventh place Swansea. 

Second place Dumfries and Galloway saw demand go up by 86%, fourth place Exeter experienced a 71% increase in demand, and fifth place Harrogate saw demand rise by 68%.

Many coastal areas feature in the top 10 including Llandudno and Swansea in Wales, and Torquay and Brighton in England, which is likely because so many homeowners relocated to areas away from big cities with more space.

So, when it comes to opportunity hotspots for 2022 – it’s the smaller towns and cities where demand is increasing the most at the moment.

The top 10 areas where demand for tradespeople increased the most in 2021:

1. Llandrindod Wells +131%
2. Dumfries and Galloway +86%
3. Llandudno +76%
4. Exeter +71%
5. Harrogate +68%
6. Truro +66%
7. Swansea +66%
8. Torquay +60%
9. Brighton 58%
10. Carlisle +58%

These are the home improvement jobs homeowners want to do the most in 2022

Overall demand for home improvement has increased by a huge 50% in just two years, so we asked homeowners across the UK which jobs they want to have done this year.

Painting is the top job – more than one in three homeowners (38%) want to revitalise their homes with a lick of paint this year. One in five (21%) are keen to have a new carpet and just under 20% of UK homeowners want to have some garden landscaping completed this year.

The top 15 jobs that homeowners want to do the most in 2022 include staple choices like new kitchens and new bathrooms, but pandemic-influenced improvements like creating multifunctional space, home bars and outdoor entertaining areas are also now more popular than ever.

One in seven homeowners in the UK say they want to have a new bathroom fitted this year, and one in 10 say they want a new kitchen.

One in 10 also say they want to adapt their homes to create multifunctional spaces, and one in 14 want to have a home bar built this year. Cheers to that!

The home improvement jobs UK homeowners want to do the most in 2022:

1. Painting – 38% (of UK homeowners want to do this this year)
2. New carpet – 21%
3. Garden landscaping – 19%
4. New bathroom – 14%
5. New wooden flooring – 12%
6. New kitchen – 11%
7. Tiling – 11%
8. New windows – 11%
9. Creating multifunctional spaces – 11%
10. Building an outdoor entertaining area – 9%
11. New roof – 8%
12. Creating a home bar – 7%
13. Adding an extension – 7%
14. Loft conversion – 7%
15. Adding a garden room – 7%

These are the jobs homeowners want to spend the most money on in 2022

When looking at how homeowners are planning to invest their renovation budget in 2022 – their biggest priorities are around maximising space and enhancing the functionality of their homes. In fact, four of the top five improvements that homeowners want to spend the most money on are all around space optimisation.

The top priority when it comes to the amount of money homeowners want to spend, are extensions, with average predicted spend coming in at just under £20,000. A self-contained annex takes second place, with many homeowners craving extra space for new ways of living, and in third, it’s adding an en-suite bathroom.

The home improvements homeowners want to spend the most money on in 2022:

1. Building an extension – £18,580 (average planned spend for this job)
2. Building an annex – £16,731
3. Adding an en-suite bathroom – £15,885
4. New conservatory/orangery – £15,564
5. Building a wall to create separate rooms – £13,977
6. Creating a home bar – £13,939
7. Creating a home gym – £13,574
8. New kitchen – £12,057
9. New porch – £11,252
10. Adapting a room to make it multifunctional – £10,772

How to capitalise on the boom in demand

The home improvement boom of 2021 doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon – 86% of tradespeople say they’re ‘very busy’ this year. So, to capitalise on the opportunities brought about by plentiful demand, many tradespeople are optimising their businesses for the short term, whilst also future-proofing their operations for years to come.

We asked over 600 Rated People tradespeople how they’re adapting their business this year, and investing in new tools and vehicles was the number one answer – almost half are planning to do this in 2022.

Many are also focusing on marketing and promotion – one in three (30%) are improving their website and social channels and one in four (27%) are investing in marketing to attract new business.

How tradespeople are adapting their business in 2022:

1. Investing in new tools and vehicles – 45% (of UK tradespeople are doing this in 2022)
2. Hiring more staff to complete the work – 36%
3. Improving their website and social channels – 30%
4. Investing in marketing/ advertising to attract more business – 27%
5. Expanding skillset to offer more services – 26%
6. Expanding into different locations – 21%
7. Forming partnerships to facilitate more jobs – 14%
8. Hiring support for business/ admin operations – 10%

See the full 2022 Home Improvement Trends Report.

The post How tradespeople can capitalise on the home improvement boom appeared first on Rated People Blog.

For insights on the biggest trends in renovation and home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022 READ THE 2022 REPORT

For the latest home improvement and renovation insights, check out our Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2023.

Over the past year, demand for eco home improvements has gone through the roof.

Awareness around the need to live more sustainably has never been higher, so it’s no surprise that more homeowners than ever are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the planet by making their homes more environmentally friendly.

But, as the cost of living soars and energy prices keep increasing… many homeowners are also looking to make energy-saving eco home upgrades to help with the cost of their bills. More than half in fact (52%) said saving money on bills was their main motivator to having eco home improvements added to their home.

From solar panels to extra insulation, there are lots of ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency, and our latest Trends Report reveals the biggest trends for eco home improvements this year – from the most popular eco adaptations, to the ones that now add the most value to your home, and also the UK’s greenest trades and how tradespeople are helping to build a greener future for everyone.

We’ve also collaborated with internationally renowned interiors consultant, author and TV presenter, Michelle Ogundehin, on how to make your decoration and home design more sustainable. If you’d like to read her expert tips, head here.

And if this has got you inspired to make some eco improvements to your home, you can find local painters and decorators, builders, thermal insulation specialists and gas and heating engineers right here on Rated People.

Rising demand for eco home improvements

When looking at the volume of home improvement jobs posted on Rated People by UK homeowners, demand for roof insulation increased by an incredible 419% in 2021 when compared to the year before.

Demand for at-home electric car charging points also increased by a staggering 404%, cavity wall insulation went up by 352% and heat pumps saw demand rise by an incredible 312%.

The top 15 eco jobs with the biggest increases in demand from homeowners:

1. Roof insulation – 419% (increase in the number of jobs posted by homeowners to Rated People)
2. Electric car charging point installation – 404%
3. Cavity wall insulation – 352%
4. Heat pump – 312%
5. Underfloor insulation – 265%
6. Smart meter – 49%
7. Living roof – 48%
8. Thermal insulation – 46%
9. Triple glazing – 35%
10. Electric underfloor heating – 33% 
11. External wall insulation – 29%
12. Water underfloor heating – 27% 
13. Solar panel installation – 17%
14. uPVC windows and door – 17%
15. Double glazing – 10%

The Most Popular Eco Upgrades for 2022

Our research shows UK homeowners are keen to invest in eco home technology this year. One in five (20%) are looking to have a smart meter installed, and with energy prices increasing by around £700 a year on average, it’s easy to see why so many homeowners are keen to have one installed this year.

19% of UK homeowners will be installing smart lighting, 18% are upgrading old appliances for newer more energy efficient models, and one in six (18%) want to have solar panels installed.

The top 10 eco improvements homeowners are planning to make in 2022:

1. Installing a smart meter – 20% (of UK homeowners are planning to make this eco upgrade this year)
2. Draught proofing – 20%
3. Installing smart lighting – 19%
4. Extra insulation – 19%
5. Upgrading old appliances – 18%
6. Installing solar panels – 18%
7. Installing a low flow toilet – 14%
8. Installing double glazing – 13%
9. Creating a compost pile – 13%
10. Installing a smart thermostat – 13%

Eco home improvements that will maximise your home’s value

Eco home improvements can help lower your bills by improving your home’s energy-efficiency, but they can also increase the value of your home too.

To find out which eco additions are now the most coveted, we spoke to thousands of potential homebuyers across the UK and asked them how much extra they would pay for a property with a range of different environmentally friendly improvements.

Solar panels and wind turbines are the top two eco upgrades that are most valued by buyers – both of which would enable new owners to create their own energy, and in turn could help to reduce the cost of their bills – they would also collectively add around £26,000 to the value of your home.

Other highly prized eco adaptations include underfloor heating, heat pumps, green roofs and electric car charging points.

The top 15 eco home improvements that can add the most value to your home:

1. Solar panels – £13,512 (value increase)
2. Wind turbine – £12,941
3. Triple glazing – £12,788
4. Underfloor heating – £12,290
5. Ground source heat pump – £12,251
6. Double glazing – £12,005
7. Extra insulation, like cavity wall insulation – £11,764
8. Biomass boiler – £11,756
9. Air source heat pump – £11,670
10. Solar water heating – £11,646
11. Electric car charging point – £11,538
12. Green/living roof – £11,477
13. Biodiverse garden – £11,444
14. Old appliances replaced with new ones – £11,190
15. Draught proofing – £11,151

How tradespeople are going greener in 2022

Almost two in three tradespeople (63%) will be making eco changes to their businesses and work in 2022 to up their green credentials, and 70% are planning to extend their skillset this year to take on more eco jobs.

And it’s a good job too, as 43% of homeowners now say they’d be more likely to choose a tradesperson if they were environmentally friendly.

Just like homeowners, tradespeople are recognising the contribution they can make to living more sustainably, and this year, UK tradespeople are reducing the amount they travel to reduce pollution by taking more local jobs, giving quotes remotely and using British parts where possible.

They’re also planning to recycle more, use greener materials and drive electric vehicles in 2022 to make their businesses more eco-friendly.

The top eight eco changes tradespeople are making in 2022:

1. Improve recycling – 41% (of tradespeople will do this in 2022)
2. Reduce waste – 34%
3. Use environmentally friendly materials/ products – 27%
4. Take jobs locally/ don’t travel too far for jobs – 27%
5. Give more quotes remotely to cut down on driving – 25%
6. Get an electric vehicle – 20%
7. Use British parts where possible/ support other local businesses – 18%
8. Use second hand parts where possible – 14%

The UK’s greenest trades

When looking at which trades are planning to make eco changes the most this year, more than four in five (85%) bathroom fitters are intending to be more environmentally friendly in 2022 – the most of any trade.

And at least 55% of all the other trades in the top 10 are also looking to upgrade their practices to be more environmentally friendly this year.

The top 10 trades making eco changes the most in 2022:

1. Bathroom fitters – 85% (are going greener this year)
2. Roofers – 75%
3. Gardeners/ landscape gardeners – 68%
4. Builders – 68%
5. Electricians – 65%
6. Carpenters/ joiners – 64%
7. Painters and decorators – 62%
8. Plumbers – 60%
9. Plasterers/renderers – 59%
10. Tilers – 55%

Almost two in three tradespeople (63%) say their main motivation for making eco changes this year is because they care about the planet. An awareness of changing consumer preferences is also having an impact, with one in three (36%) of those who are making eco changes in 2022, saying they’re making changes because homeowners want businesses to be more environmentally friendly.

And just 13% say they are doing it because their competitors are, so they feel they also need to.

Where demand is increasing the most in the UK

When it comes to the places around the UK that are most keen to get on board the eco train – it’s Aberdeen that saw the biggest rise in demand for eco home improvement jobs in 2021, with 178% more eco jobs posted on Rated People, when compared to the year before.

Bournemouth, Llandudno, Kirkaldy and Ipswich make up the rest of the top five – all of which have seen homeowner demand for eco home improvements increase by a minimum of 140% in just one year.

The UK towns and cities where demand for eco home improvements has increased the most:

1. Aberdeen – 178% (increase in the number of jobs posted in 2021 compared to the year before)
2. Bournemouth – 174%
3. Llandudno – 170%
4. Kirkcaldy – 167%
5. Ipswich – 146%
6. Newport – 131%
7. Guildford – 127%
8. Exeter – 125%
9. Gloucester – 115%
10. Newcastle Upon Tyne – 113%

Internationally renowned interiors consultant, author and TV presenter, Michelle Ogundehin, on creating a sustainable home

“Your home is as vital to your wellbeing as good food, regular exercise and sleep. And the drive to create a happy home is part of being human. To create one that reflects who you are is to curate a little piece of the world as your own. But today, we want to be able to do that in a way that’s healthy for both us and the planet. It’s about making considered choices for the long term, on every level.”

Michelle Ogundehin’s tips for a sustainable home

1. Surround yourself primarily with elemental materials – like marble, granite, wood, glass and cotton, as these will only ever contribute to your wellbeing. But, as well as being natural in origin, these materials need to be tactile. As physical sensory beings, we need to surround ourselves with surfaces that stimulate.
   
2. Avoid plastics, vinyl or synthetics wherever you can – from nylon carpets and polyester fabrics to formaldehyde exuding MDF. They all contain chemicals which you do not want in your happy healthy, soon to be non-toxic home.
   
3. Boring but important: do your draught proofing. There’s no point installing solar panels, roof insulation or underfloor heating if all that lovely heat and energy is whistling straight out through leaky windows and doors. Seal them up and save.
   
4. When adding insulation, ask your builder to look into environmentally friendly options – like hempcrete, cork, sheep’s wool, cellulose (from shredded paper) or wood wool. All non-irritant, safe to handle and completely recyclable.  
   
5. Add thermostats in every room. You can then control which rooms are heated according to who’s at home. It’s easy to turn the temperature down with home tech and one degree lower could see you make savings of up to £75/year according to the Energy Saving Trust.
   
6. Wash at a max temperature of 30 degrees. Your clothes will be just as clean, and you’ll save even more money by using less energy.
   
7. Choose natural lime-based paints. Did you know that most paints are 37% plastic? And a major cause of global microplastic pollution? Choose natural lime-based paints so you and your home can breathe more easily. Lime-based paints also naturally inhibit bacteria and mould. Ask for lime-based plaster wherever possible too when you’re renovating.

“Bottom line is, the planet doesn’t need a few people doing everything perfectly, it needs millions of people doing what they can. Happy planet = happy home for everyone.”

For more on the boom in eco home improvements, and lots more, see the full 2022 Home Improvement Trends Report.

The post 2022’s biggest eco home improvement trends appeared first on Rated People Blog.

For insights on the biggest trends in renovation and home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022 READ THE 2022 REPORT

For the latest home improvement and renovation insights, check out our Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2023.

Since the start of the pandemic, our desire for home improvement has accelerated at an incredible pace and it’s easy to understand why. The last two years have fundamentally changed the way we use our living space, and we’ve used skilled tradespeople across the country to modify our homes for new ways of living.

In 2021, half (49%) of UK residents made improvements to their homes and demand for tradespeople increased by 32%. When compared to the start of the pandemic in 2020, demand for home improvement has gone up by a massive 50%. 

But Covid and Brexit have also presented a lot of challenges, like material supply issues, production cost increases and workforce shortages, and these have impacted both homeowners and tradespeople across the country. It hasn’t always been easy to complete home improvement work but homeowners and tradespeople have persevered!

Almost nine in 10 tradespeople (89%) say their costs increased in 2021, 84% experienced materials supply issues and just under half (44%) had workforce shortages. 

So how has this all affected the bottom line? How much will prices go up for renovations and home improvements this year, and which types of projects are set to increase in price the most?

The rising cost of renovations

89% of tradespeople say their costs (for things like materials and their workforce) increased in 2021, and in 2022, 91% of tradespeople expect their costs will go up further. So, it’s not surprising that this year, a large proportion say they will need to pass those increasing costs on to consumers in order to stay profitable – 82% of tradespeople are anticipating they’ll need to put their prices up this year.

Last year, this meant prices for home improvement work increased by 15% on average for homeowners. Nearly four in five tradespeople (78%) put their prices up by 20% or less, and only 3% pushed their prices up by 50% or more.

So what’s in store for this year? Well – the price of some renovation projects could increase by 40%…

Labour and materials for a bathroom renovation are expected to cost around £5,726 on average in 2022, which is 22% higher than 2021, and a huge 40% more than in 2020. The price of both loft conversions and kitchen renovations are set to increase by 25% compared to 2020, and an extension will be 23% more expensive than just two years ago.

The top trades that are putting their prices up in 2022

Renovation and home improvement jobs that need builders, heating engineers, plasterers and carpenters are the most likely to increase in price this year – 97% of builders, 91% of heating engineers, 89% of plasterers and 89% of carpenters will be upping their prices.

The top 10 trades increasing their prices in 2022

Struggling to keep up with demand

In addition to increasing prices, homeowners also found it hard to get hold of tradespeople that were available to do the work in 2021. Almost two thirds (62%) of tradespeople said 2021 was ‘the busiest year they’ve ever had’, so it’s not surprising that 45% of homeowners struggled to find an available tradesperson last year. 

London was the worst affected, with 54% of homeowners encountering availability challenges. And Liverpool (53%), Edinburgh (49%) and Belfast (48%) weren’t far behind.

More than one in three tradespeople (43%) also said they felt an increased level of stress in 2021 because of the industry challenges and exploding demand, and one in four (25%) said they felt exhausted.

But, one in three (34%) did say that the opportunities meant they felt an increased sense of motivation and one in four (27%) said they had increased job satisfaction and an increased sense of achievement last year.

Material and workforce shortages

Across the UK, 45% of homeowners experienced delays with work they were having done and 43% had to change their original plans because materials or design elements were sold out.

Almost two thirds (62%) of tradespeople told us they were forced to delay or cancel jobs in 2021, and this year, tradespeople are still expecting to be hit with challenges, but a smaller amount expect this will cause delays and disruption – just 44% expect they’ll have to cancel or delay jobs this year.

Unsurprisingly, Covid was a major cause of disruption in 2021, but the main reason for cancellations and delays was actually materials shortages, with 44% of tradespeople saying they had to delay or cancel work because of supply issues.

Plasterers/ renderers were the most affected by supply issues, but nearly all trades experienced shortages. Between 75% and 96% of the top 10 most affected trades found it difficult to get the materials they needed.

The top 10 trades that were most affected by materials shortages in 2021

Workforce and contractor shortages were also experienced by many trade businesses in 2021, with the main causes being Covid isolation and a lack of skilled workers.

The top reasons why UK trades suffered workforce shortages in 2021

How we’re improving our homes in 2022

Despite the challenges, demand for home improvement and renovations is staying strong this year, with 86% of tradespeople expecting to be ‘very busy’ in 2022. So, when it comes to the ways we’ll be adapting our homes, homeowners are investing most of their budget on maximising space and enhancing functionality.

Extensions, annexes, new conservatories and building walls to create separate rooms are among the top five improvements that homeowners want to spend the most money on in 2022.

Creating a home bar is sixth in the priority list when it comes to the amount of budget they’re setting aside – ahead of home gyms in seventh place. Other ‘pandemic-inspired’ home improvements like adapting a room to make it multifunctional, and adding an outdoor entertaining area also make the priority list.

The top 15 home improvements that homeowners want to spend the most money on in 2022

Adrienne Minster, CEO of Rated People: 

“So many aspects of our lives are now affected by rising prices, so if you’re doing work to your home this year – to ensure you get the best value, it’s now more important than ever to start planning and budgeting as early as possible so you can negotiate a good price and avoid tradespeople being booked up for months in advance.

At Rated People, we make it easy for homeowners to find quality, local tradespeople, so however you’d like to improve your home this year, we’re a great place to start your search for a trusted tradesperson.” 

The post The UK home improvement boom: demand is up 50% into 2022 appeared first on Rated People Blog.

The Rated People Empowering Tradeswomen Programme helps women to work in trades. JOIN THE PROGRAMME

There is a shockingly low representation of women in the trades industry and we think it’s about time that changed.

Women make up less than 1% of carpenters and joiners in the UK, and less than 4% of electricians, plumbers, floorers and tilers are women.

It’s 2022, and this isn’t right. This needs to change, and we’re taking a stand to push for that change!

We want to help more women to work in the trades industry, inclusive of all who identify as women, and we’re doing this by launching the Rated People Empowering Tradeswomen Programme.

If you’re in school and thinking about your career choices, or you want a career change later in life, we’ve teamed up with some brilliant partners to offer a host of benefits to make it easier to get into, and work in the industry.

Free exposure and leads on Rated People

3 months free Rated People membership*:

• Up to £150 free credit each month to spend on customer job leads
• Special discount on lead prices
• Dedicated Account Manager to support your business growth

Plus, gain access to our exclusive partner deals with Access Training and Trades Business Coach, Alison Warner

Discounted skills training

20% off training on trade courses and qualifications with trade course specialists, Access Training

Discounted business development and training

50% off 12 months of training with Business Trades Coach, Alison Warner at Evolve and Grow coaching

We’re also making a pledge to:

• Feature more tradeswomen in our marketing and branding
• Promote the incredible work already being done by tradeswomen in the industry
• Increase awareness of the opportunities available to women within the industry, so we can redress the imbalance and change perceptions that ‘only men’ can work in trade jobs

For insights on the biggest trends in home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022.

* The ‘Rated People Empowering Tradeswomen Programme’ is valid for tradeswomen customers who sign up as the main account holder and verify as such through our vetting & quality process between February 21st and August 21st 2022. Offers and Promotion Partners may differ. This offer runs in addition to all other offers available to all Rated People customers. Contact us for more information. Standard Terms & Conditions apply.  

The post The Rated People Empowering Tradeswomen Programme appeared first on Rated People Blog.

For insights on the biggest trends in renovation and home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022 READ THE 2022 REPORT

So much has been done in recent years to promote diversity and end inequality – there’s still a long way to go, but there are positive signs that change is starting to happen.

Watch our video with four truly inspirational tradeswomen

International Women’s Day: 8th March 2022

International Women’s Day is an annual international initiative, striving for a gender equal world and helping to raise awareness of inequality while empowering women to succeed. The theme of IWD 2022 is #BreakTheBias. That’s exactly the objective of one of our Home Improvement Trends Report features, asking: “Why aren’t there more tradeswomen in the UK?”, and the reason we created The Rated People Empowering Tradeswomen Programme.

 The Rated People Empowering Tradeswomen Programme helps women get into the trades industry and build successful careers. Read more now

When it comes to women in the trades industry, inclusive of all who identify as women – did you know just how imbalanced it is? Women make up less than 1% of carpenters and less than 2% of electricians and plumbers are women. And of the 20 worst professions in the UK for the representation of women, more than half are trade jobs.

This isn’t right.

To discover the reasons behind the shockingly low representation of women in the trades industry, we spoke to school leavers about the careers advice they were given in school. We also listened to more than 600 tradespeople across the UK. And we also spoke to thousands of homeowners about their attitudes to hiring tradeswomen.

Some of the things we found out were shocking, and others encouraging. But one thing was clear, we wanted to do something about it to make it easier for more women to get into the industry and thrive in their trade careers.

Because it’s 2022, and it’s about time this changed.  

The worst jobs in the UK right now for the representation of women

Just 0.81% of vehicle technicians are women, which is the lowest of more than 300 professions in the UK.

Carpenters and joiners are second-worst for the representation of women, with below 1% (0.99%) of the employees being women, followed by electricians where just 1.73% of the workforce is made up of women.

Across the 20 professions with the lowest representation of women, none of them have more than 5% of women in the workforce. And within those 20, 11 of them are in the trades industry.

20 worst jobs for the representation of women

The top 20 jobs with the highest representation of women right now

Looking at the professions where women make up the majority of the workforce, many of the roles in the top 20 are in childcare. These include nursery nurses in first place, where women make up 98% of the UK workforce, childminders are in fourth position, school secretaries are sixth and teaching assistants are in seventh. None of the professions in the top 20 are in the trades industry.

Although it is great to see industries where women continue to be the trailblazers, this is more proof that attitudes towards what’s considered a ‘woman’s job’ or a ‘man’s job’ needs to change.

Just as the trade industry needs more opportunities for women to feel comfortable and excel, there also needs to be more men entering caring and teaching roles to show future generations that women can fit your kitchen or fix your heating just as men can teach, nurture and entertain nursery children.

20 best jobs for the representation of women

The representation of women in 15 key trades

Across 15 key trades in the industry, women only make up more of the workforce in one of the professions – cleaning. For all other 14 jobs in the trade industry, none of them have more than 10% of women in the workforce.

Less than 1% of carpenters are women, and less than 5% of plumbers, builders, electricians and painters in the UK are women.

Why are there so few women in the trades industry?

We spoke to three school leavers to see if they would consider working as a tradeswoman and we also asked them about the career advice they got at school.

Two of the three young women said that they wouldn’t consider being a tradeswoman because of how “male-orientated” the industry is, with one adding “being a woman going into that industry is quite daunting.”

Both also spoke about how the industry isn’t promoted to girls in school.

“In secondary school and college this option is never usually targeted towards women when it comes to apprenticeships – they are stereotypically centred around beauty and hair, giving the sense that this is a ‘woman’s job,’ and being in the trades industry is a ‘man’s job.’ Although, I disagree with that, the option to be in the trade industry definitely feels like it is shut off to women.”

One of the school leavers also followed up with concerns around personal safety. She said: “I don’t feel comfortable as a woman going into other people’s houses and I feel I would come under a lot of judgement.”

This, although a small sample, could indicate that one of the reasons why more women aren’t getting into trades is because of how opportunities are communicated to them.

The pay gap

On average, women earn just 72% of what men do across 15 key trades in the industry, which could be another reason for women not wanting to work in the industry.

On average women earn almost 30% less than men, but for women floorers and wall tilers, they earn 59% less than men in the same profession, making it the occupation with the largest gender pay gap in the trades industry.

Women metal workers earn just 51% of a man’s salary in the same trade, seeing a £18,772 difference in pay over a year. Glaziers and window fitters closely follow, as women earn just 52% of a man’s salary (or 48% less).

Women electricians earn 54% of what men do. Women in construction and building trades only earn the equivalent of 57% of a man’s salary, and women plumbers would take home just 61% of what a man would in the same trade.

10 trades with the biggest gender pay gaps

The biggest challenges for tradeswomen

More than one in three tradeswomen say they experience gender discrimination by customers, with 39% saying “some customers don’t take me seriously because of my gender”. And almost one in 10 said some of their customers have completely refused to let them do a job when they see they’re a woman.

One in seven (15%) say they have concerns for personal safety, almost 10% (9%) say they face social stigma and judgement from their friends and family, and almost one in 10 (9%) say sexism is the biggest challenge they face.

The benefits of working as a tradeswoman

We also asked tradeswomen what they most valued about working in the trades industry and this revealed flexibility and autonomy are some of the biggest benefits:

• 22% enjoy being their own boss
• 18% said flexible working hours was the key benefit for them
• 15% like being able to choose how much work to take on
• 12% said that they just love their job
• 8% said getting to help women who don’t feel comfortable having a tradesman in their home was rewarding for them

Opportunities for tradeswomen

Positively, there are some good indicators that things are starting to change in the industry. This could be a knock-on effect of so many people reevaluating their careers and jobs during the pandemic, but encouragingly, 32% of women across the UK say they’d now potentially consider changing career to work as a tradeswoman.

Access Training also revealed that the admissions of women on trade courses increased by 27% in 2021, suggesting the tide is starting to change.  

Our research found that nearly half of UK homeowners (46%) say they would definitely hire a tradeswoman and 43% said that they would have no preference between hiring a tradesman or tradeswoman. Just 11% of UK homeowners said they would only look to hire a tradesman.

We also analysed Google search data to gauge homeowner demand for tradeswomen. UK homeowners looked online for women painters more than any other trade in 2021, pulling in 27,500 Google searches over a 12-month period, and women builders, gardeners, plumbers and electricians make up the rest of the top five most searched for types of tradeswomen.

The Rated People Empowering Tradeswomen Programme

For insights on the biggest trends in renovation and home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022 READ THE 2022 REPORT

Building on our research, we wanted to create an ‘Empowering Tradeswomen’ programme to help more women get into the trades industry and build successful careers. Whether that’s someone who’s considering a career change, or someone who’ll soon be leaving school, the programme is designed to help women at all stages of their trades careers.

It’s brilliant that more women are now considering a career in the trades industry, but there’s still a long way to go to reduce the imbalance and gender pay gap.

There’s so much more that can be done to increase awareness around the opportunities of working as a tradeswoman – starting with careers advice at school, all the way up to how tradespeople are represented in our culture and mainstream media.

At Rated People, we’re making a pledge to feature more tradeswomen in our marketing and comms and we want to promote the incredible work being done by tradeswomen already in the industry. To make it easier for more women to get into and thrive in the industry, the Rated People Empowering Tradeswomen Programme includes discounted skills training with Access Training, discounted business advice with Business Trades Coach, Alison Warner, and free exposure and leads on Rated People – head here for all the details.

The ‘Rated People Empowering Tradeswomen Programme’ is valid for tradeswomen customers who sign up as the main account holder and verify as such through our vetting & quality process between February 21st and August 21st 2022. Offers and Promotion Partners may differ. This offer runs in addition to all other offers available to all Rated People customers. Contact us for more information. Standard Terms & Conditions apply. 

Methodology

• Nationwide survey completed with Censuswide, to 2,015 UK residents aged 16 and above.

• Nationwide tradespeople survey to 626 tradespeople aged 18 and above – research complete December 2021.

• Data on the representation of women and gender pay gap sourced from careersmart.

The post Standing up for tradeswomen appeared first on Rated People Blog.

One of our main stories in this year’s trends report is about the low representation of women within the trades industry.

There are so many reasons why there are so few women in trade jobs – from poor careers advice at school, to how tradespeople are represented in our culture and mainstream media. But, it’s 2022 and it’s about time this changed.

So, here we hear first hand from an inspirational Rated People tradeswoman, Kalece Okusanya, on the biggest challenges she faces as a tradeswoman, and what she thinks needs to change to enable more women to work in the industry.

Kalece Okusanya

Kalece Okusanya is a tradeswoman with 6 years’ experience, and the owner of Suave Property Care – a painting and decorating business that offers high quality decorating, flooring and general maintenance throughout London and the surrounding areas.

Kalece studied business at college. She got into the trade industry by accident when she volunteered on a project when she was younger. She didn’t plan on being a painter but she now loves mixing her hands-on work with her financial planning and people management skills that are needed to run a business.

Key challenges tradeswomen face

Kalece says the main challenge is that clients just aren’t used to seeing a young black woman in the industry.

She says she’s often challenged on her knowledge and expertise, and when she’s explaining to a client what can and can’t be done on a job, she thinks they would respect her judgment more if she were a man. 

In the past, clients have tested her to see how much she knows. And once when she was demonstrating how to tackle a specific job to a more junior painter, a plasterer decided he knew best and proceeded to take over explaining the required technique. When Kalece informed the plasterer that she was managing the job and she owned the company, he was shocked. 

You need to dig deep

Kalece knows it can be daunting for women working in the trades industry – she says she’s experienced people who have tried to intimidate her as a tradeswoman:

“Sometimes people like to make you think you don’t know what you’re doing, and mentally and emotionally, this can be exhausting. As a tradeswoman, there have been times when I’ve had to dig deep to find the motivation to come to work because sometimes you have to fight harder to prove yourself and gain the recognition you deserve as a woman in the industry.”

For insights on the biggest trends in renovation and home improvement, take a look at the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2022 READ THE 2022 REPORT

Kalece feels very confident in her expertise and knowledge. She adds that things have already started to change for the better – now, she doesn’t feel like she has to work any harder than others to prove herself because she’s a woman. But there’s still a lot more that needs to happen to redress the gender equality in the industry.

There should be more women doing what men do

Kalece wants to see more women working in trades. She says that no matter what industry you’re in, you should see more women doing what men are doing. In her opinion, better representation is key to making a difference, like showcasing women that are in trades now. She thinks that there needs to be more encouragement for young women to learn a trade, because it is 2022 and it’s shocking that the representation of women is still so low in the industry. 

Let your work do the talking

For anyone who’s leaving school and thinking about career options, or for anyone who might be considering a career change, Kalece says focus is key: 

“Be very clear about what you want in the industry and always be professional – let the work and your conduct do the talking and don’t overcompensate for things. Just apply yourself.”

The post My story: working as a tradeswoman appeared first on Rated People Blog.