According to a new study from Houzz Inc., the home design platform, nearly one in eight homeowners have put their home renovation project on hold (12%).

Conducted in late August through September 2023, the survey of nearly 1,000 UK-based homeowners found that the top reasons for postponing projects include budget constraints, inflation and a lack of project urgency (34%, 33% and 28%, respectively). That said, a quarter of respondents completed a project in 2023 (26%) and more than half are either in the middle of a renovation project (35%) or planning to start one by the end of next year (26%). Fewer than 1% of homeowners report having cancelled a home improvement project in 2023.

Many homeowners prefer home renovations to moving, with more than half of the respondents wanting to stay in their current home rather than buy a new home that fits their needs (56%). Homeowners attribute this to financial reasons, including that renovating is a better return on investment and more affordable than moving (23% and 20%, respectively). A small but notable percentage highlights that their current interest rate is better than what is available today (6%).

“The demand for home renovations continues, but the industry is not immune to challenges posed by a volatile national economy,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist.

“Faced with inflation and rising interest rates, many homeowners have been forced to reevaluate their ability to pursue immediate improvements. That said, as homeowners choose to remain in their ageing homes rather than move, they continue to turn to industry professionals for assistance with necessary repairs and discretionary projects that improve their quality of life.”

Almost half of the homeowners will kick off renovation projects this year (49%), with kitchens (58%) and bathrooms (55%) topping the list. To tackle these substantial projects, 91% plan to hire a professional, including builders (52%), electricians (45%) and kitchen and bathroom fitters (42%), among others. Nearly half of projects planned for 2023 have a budget of over £50,000 (61%), and one in six projects has a budget of £100,000 or more (18%).

Of those who completed their projects, top challenges included finding the right professionals, sourcing products and materials, and staying on budget (53%, 36% and 29%, respectively). Other commonly cited challenges included trouble visualising the project before work began, feeling educated on the process and funding/financing the project (20%, 19% and 16%, respectively). Houzz Pro software helps professionals to deliver better customer experiences through visual tools, schedules and transparent communications to address these challenges.

*Data was sourced from an online survey fielded to UK Houzz users between 24th August – 5th October 2023. N=978.

PJH, a leading KBB distributor, has again invested in its staff Learning and Development (L&D) programme by enhancing its bespoke online learning platform ELSA (Engage, Learn, Support & Achieve). Elevating the online learning resource yet further, this demonstrates the company’s commitment to its wider L&D programme.

Investment in ELSA follows the platform’s success since its launch in October 2022, which has seen its learning resource modules viewed more than 54,000 times and over 31,000 learning tasks completed.

The new enhanced ELSA Platform now offers PJH employees the opportunity to earn Badges and Achievements as they complete various learning milestones; share insights and knowledge through Collaborative Learning with colleagues, fostering a culture of learning within the company; Expert Guidance, where employees can seek help and guidance from subject matter experts directly through the platform, making learning more accessible and tailored to individual needs as well as Virtual Coaching.

Speaking about the new enhanced ELSA platform, PJH learning and development manager Dawn Kennedy said: “The enhanced ELSA platform is designed to take employee learning to the next level and underscores PJH’s commitment to nurturing its employees’ growth and ensuring that they remain the company’s first choice. The new features take employee learning engagement to a whole new level and more importantly makes the learning experience more relevant than ever to an individual’s work and unique career path.”

Dawn added “ELSA plays a crucial role in complementing our face-to-face learning programme. Through its session scheduling feature, we can provide both pre and post learning experiences, even generate certificates, seamlessly integrating a blended approach into our learning and development strategy.”

The enhanced ELSA facility will be available both online and as a mobile app and continues to offer employees the flexibility to learn at their own pace and on their own schedules according to the diverse needs and time constraints of its workforce.

For further information on PJH, visit www.pjh.uk , www.partners.pjh.uk or call, T: 0800 8 77 88 99.

The Unified Water Label Association is supporting the UK’s first Water Night, an initiative launched by Waterwise to drive forward greater water awareness.

Waterwise has joined forces with The Water Conservancy in Australia to bring Water Night to the UK on the same day as it takes place in Australia.

The campaign asks people to sign up and support Water Night by turning off all non-essential taps from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on 19 October.

Supported by social media, the campaign shares statistics and facts about how water is used in the home to boost awareness of the difference between perceptions of how we use water versus how we actually use water.

UWLA MD Yvonne Orgill says, “We are delighted to support Water Night UK.  It represents a fantastic opportunity for us to reinforce our consumer messages on water efficiency, and remind people that they can save energy, and protect our planet by using water wisely.

“The Unified Water Label has been championing water efficiency since 2008 and is now supported and promoted by 160 leading brands across Europe with almost 18,000 products registered.

“The UWLA has played a huge part in encouraging manufacturers to innovate and bring to market state-of-the-art products that provide consumers with water-saving options without compromising on performance.

“In the last twelve months, we have made huge strides forward with an increased awareness across all sectors of the need to help consumers make responsible water-saving choices.  The UWLA has had more retailers, manufacturers, and distributors pledge their support to use the label and highlight the issues around water scarcity, driving home the message that for the sake of the planet, we must use water wisely.

“We would ask others to join us in supporting Water Night UK, together we can all play an important role to influence and educate consumers on the options available, and help them make the right environmental choices when investing in their home.”

www.uwla.eu

In response to overwhelming requests, the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation announces an extension to the BiKBBI Awards entry deadline to Sunday 5^th November 2023.

The BiKBBI Awards is free to enter, with 12 awards categories, and businesses and individuals can nominate themselves, their business, a colleague, a business associate or a company they work with via a dedicated online platform. And now, those planning to enter or nominate have three weeks to complete their submission.  

The BiKBBI Installation Awards were launched in 2021 to recognise businesses and individuals’ talent, contributions and achievements in the KBB installation sector. The 2024 programme features twelve categories including:

• Installer of the Year
• Young Installer of the Year
• Apprentice of the Year
• Installation Manager of the Year
• Installation Business of the Year
• Customer Service Champion of the Year
• Community Champion of the Year
• Independent Retailer of the Year
• National Retailer of the Year
• Industry Newcomer 2024
• Environmental Champion of the Year
• Special Recognition Award

The BiKBBI Awards 2024 winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony at London’s prestigious QEII Centre, Westminster, on Tuesday 6 February 2024.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact comms@bikbbi.org.uk.

Bathroom brand GROHE was announced as the winner of the Open Category Award at the BMA Sustainability Awards on Tuesday 10th October 2023. Winners were announced in front of industry peers in a ceremony hosted by TV personality Mark Watson at the Carden Park Hotel, Cheshire, as part of the BMA’s Annual Industry Conference. The Sustainability Awards are independently judged by journalists, industry experts, academics, and representatives from NGO’s.

New for this year, the Open Category Award recognises the various initiatives that bathroom manufacturers have embarked on in an aspirational path towards more sustainable practices, from transitioning operations to a circular economy model, educating staff about efficient water use, or inspiring customers to make eco-friendly decisions through marketing and product campaigns. The judges collectively agreed that GROHE’s range of environmental initiatives and a good understanding of sustainability had the winning edge.

Ebru Bircan, Leader, Marketing Activation UK, LIXIL EMENA & GROHE UK says: “As a global brand, we believe it is both our individual and organisational responsibility to actively research and action methods of bringing meaningful products to market while guaranteeing they leave behind a healthy planet for future generations. We are thrilled with this acknowledgement from the BMA recognising GROHE’s comprehensive 360-degree approach to sustainability that serves as such an integral part of our DNA, and one we hope will inspire the progression of sustainability within the industry.”