Home improvements on the cards for more Britons

More Britons are turning to home improvements in order to add more value to their property, this year's Halifax Home Improvement Survey reveals, with many doing all of the work themselves.

The study found that a fifth of all homeowners thought that such efforts would add at least £10,000 to the price of their house, with a quarter saying they had made renovations without the aid of a builder or other tradesman.

The growing popularity of self-build developments could be behind Britons' growing indepedence when it comes to making improvements, and it is the younger generation that is most likely to make alterations to their home, 68 per cent of 18 to 24 and 25 to 34-year-olds having embarked upon such projects over the past 12 months.

"A word of caution though, poorly executed home improvements can actually detract from the value of your property," advised Patrick Sawdon from Halifax Valuers.

"If you're considering embarking on major work, do consult the professionals and seek any necessary planning permission before getting started," Mr Sawdon added.

Many homeowners are now using equity release to make home improvements, research from Saga revealed last week.


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