We recently wrote about how most homeowners don’t move they improve. It’s a reality that highlights just how people are willing invest in their homes, choosing to stay put and improve rather than move.
But when it comes to home improvement projects, how long should homeowners expect to have to wait before their dreams become a reality?
Well, according to new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the answer is seven months.
Plan Ahead For Home Improvements
Initial FMB research discovered that four months was the average period of time homeowners should expect to wait for a reputable, quality builder to be available. Combine this with the length of time home improvement projects usually take and you’re looking at the following timeframes, the FMB says:
- Extension – 7 months
- Loft conversion – 6 and a half months
- Paint entire home interior – 5 months
- New bathroom – 5 months
- New kitchen – 5 months
- En-suite conversion – 5 months
- Convert a cupboard under-the-stairs into a toilet – 5 months
- Remove an internal wall to create an open plan kitchen/diner – just under 5 months
The four months to find a reputable, quality builder is because there is a national shortage of builders and the best ones will already have a number of jobs on the go. If a builder says they can start work next week when you initially contact them, “alarm bells should ring.” That’s according to Brian Berry, Chief Executive at the FMB.
“If homeowners want a new extension fully completed in time for Christmas, they should be contacting builders for quotes by May at the very latest. If you want your new kitchen installed by the start of the summer, you should be getting in touch with builders after Christmas,” Berry added.
The FMB says the best way to find a trustworthy, reputable and quality builder is to ask friends and family for recommendations in the first instance. Ideally, any tradesperson who is recommended will have completed a similar project to the one you want doing for the person recommending them.
Another very powerful and reliable aspect when considering a tradesperson is social proof – things like online recommendations and customer reviews.
Make sure your planning is in line with others and plan ahead for home improvements
Here at Aquarius Home Improvements, we are very proud of our customer reviews. At the time of writing this post, we are rated 96% by over 500 customers (and counting).
The national shortage of builders mentioned earlier in this post has arisen, the FMB says, as a result of many school-leavers heading to university instead of learning a trade. Add to this the fact that the availability of EU tradespeople is reportedly dwindling ahead of Brexit and it’s easy to see why UK building firms are struggling to find high quality, trained staff.
Speaking about the findings of the FMB research, John Bosworth, Managing Director of Aquarius Home Improvements, said: “The timescales given seem appropriate, and considering as a company we are always booking installations around 5-6 months in advance, it really rings true and homeowners should plan ahead for home improvements and give themselves plenty of time to find the right company and get their perfect installation booked in, in plenty of time.”
Looking to complete a home improvement project of your own this year? Don’t miss the boat. Contact us today. We’d love to discuss your requirements and provide you with a free, no obligation quote.
