Have you ever looked out of your living room window at your next door neighbour cleaning his brand new car and thought: “When I get my new car I need to make sure it’s the model up from theirs”?
In England it’s an age old idiom that we like to “keep up with the Joneses”, observing our neighbours properties and using them as a benchmark when styling our own. The need to be at the top of the socio-economic ladder drives us to go that extra step further. Nowadays the social stimulus isn’t as important as it once was, however our neighbours still have a significant influence on how we style our home.
The recent boom in solar panel installations is an example of this with 59% of people we spoke to saying their interest in solar panels was ‘pricked’ by viewing them on a property in their neighbourhood. These noticeable additions to properties have become increasingly popular over the past two years with Government incentives, increasing energy bills and a slow housing marketing directly responsible.
Since 2004 our energy bills have doubled and that upward growth is forecasted to continue until 2020. This has driven us to seek ways of reducing our outgoings and saving money on those important necessities. With all the incentives and benefits it’s no wonder that we’re noticing more and more properties featuring solar panels on their roof. This isn’t the only trend we’ve picked up from our neighbours though, as more people look to increase the space in their own home rather than move house.
Affording your second home has never been harder and as financing the move to your new home becomes increasingly difficult, more and more people are looking towards conversions and extensions as a means of adding additional space to their properties.
Demand for conservatories across the UK has never been higher. Once they had a stigma of only being for the well-off, an expense that highlighted your affluence; but in recent years they’ve become much more affordable. A simple addition to your property provides an extra room to meet the demands of the modern family, be it a toy room, dining room or just somewhere you can escape to at the end of the long tiring day.
When it comes to creating more space for your home, you don’t always have to look to extending outwards. Of course, for many this isn’t feasible, because of factors such as a small garden or planning permission constraints.
This is where the loft conversion comes in. The average loft is barely used and if it is, it’s probably unlighted, holding boxes of your old Christmas decorations, scraps of carpet and is often more hospitable to creepy-crawlies.
The loft accounts for a large section of your home and this is space that’s just going to waste. Why move and spend thousands of pounds on fees and costs, when you can get the extra bedroom you need without the hassle of relocating?
And with a loft conversion you can really choose any use that fits your needs. Perhaps you have a growing family and need an extra bedroom, or maybe you need a home office to work in without distraction – a loft conversion offers endless opportunities.
Our neighbours continue to be a source of useful ideas and tips on how we can improve our homes, and next time you walk out of your front door you can look around and ask yourself…What are my neighbours doing?