As new research* reveals three quarters of homeowners are planning a home improvement project this year, Phoenix Energy Communications Manager, Geri Wright, takes a look at what changes homeowners are planning to make to their properties this Spring…
Heating Up Home Improvement Month
A new survey, commissioned by Phoenix Energy, polled Northern Ireland homeowners and aimed to discover what improvement jobs are topping the to-do list this April to coincide with UK Home Improvement Month.
Research found that homeowners are most likely to tackle ‘odd jobs’ around the house this Spring (34%), with one home improvement expert finding that millennials in particular were the demographic most likely to shun the professionals and give DIY a go, with the help of technology and video channels such as YouTube.
Other Northern Ireland homeowners said that repainting or decorating interiors tops the list this year (29%), whilst a quarter of homeowners will simply buy new furniture.
Apps such as Pinterest and Instagram provide us with access to unlimited inspiration and creative ideas for creating our dream home and show us that an interior refresh can be a quick way to change the look and feel of a home.
TV shows, like Marie Kondo, have us aspiring to reorganise our homes and declutter our lives for improved wellbeing, with our homes now playing a central role in our overall health and happiness.
Whilst there is clearly a desire for homeowners to take on ‘quick fix’ surface jobs, most homeowners agree that a warm, cosy house is what really turns a house into a home.
Central heating is the lifeblood of any home and, with 50% of people willing to invest in one significant home improvement this year; upgrading to natural gas is the ultimate home improvement that will last longer than a passing style trend.
98%** of Phoenix Energy customers say they would recommend it to family and friends, with instant heat, constant supply and high efficiency central heating boilers just some of the many benefits.
For the style conscious, installing natural gas doesn’t just have to be seen as a practical ‘good thing to do’ to ensure your home is running efficiently and to reduce energy bills, it can create new opportunities for homeowners to improve their home in other ways.
With no bulky oil tank outside, it opens up more space in the garden for a new patio area, or perhaps even a hot tub!
Some homeowners installing a new bathroom take the opportunity to fit a power shower or add an en suite with the extra space where their redundant copper cylinder used to be.
Others opt to install a natural gas fire as a showcase centre point of their living space.
Some homeowners even choose to convert their kitchen appliances to natural gas, such as cooking hobs or a tumble dryer, for complete efficiency throughout the home. Find out more about natural gas appliances here.
For those home improvers that are thinking of selling their home this year, there’s no better time to upgrade to natural gas and maximise your home’s potential ahead of the spring property rush.
With NI property prices performing stronger than their UK counterparts (up 5.9% in the last year in Northern Ireland), natural gas remains an attractive selling point for buyers. And for those new homeowners that have just purchased a property, upgrading to natural gas is a quick and convenient way of making a new house a home.
Whatever your plans are this home improvement month, make upgrading to natural gas top of the list in 2019!
All fired up to make the switch to natural gas? Find out more here.
*Survey undertaken by MRNI Research and commissioned by Phoenix Energy in October 2018. Responses based on sample of 100 homeowners living in Northern Ireland conducted via face-to-face survey.
**Survey undertaken by MRNI Research and commissioned by Phoenix Energy in April and October 2018. Responses based on sample of 200 homeowners living in Northern Ireland conducted via face-to-face survey.