Tag Archive for: Finance

Why bathroom renovations might become top priority for UK homeowners

What do we do when we’re stuck inside our houses with nowhere to go and four months’ worth of free weekends? We renovate!

The 2020 Renovation Nation Report has found that UK homeowners have spent have spent £55billion on renovations to create their perfect property. That is an average of £4,035.70 each on home renovations since the lockdown restrictions began in March.

Of course, not everyone has had the financial freedom to fix up their living space but almost 65 per cent of homeowners did invest in their properties over lockdown. And even with lockdown easing, findings suggested that the trend for investing in homes is set to continue with three quarters (73 per cent) of homeowners questioned admitting they will continue to stay home as much as possible.

Other than the obvious ‘more disposable time’ factor, top reasons for fixing up homes in lockdown were articulated as: increasing the value of the home and making home more comfortable in anticipation of spending more time there (due to lockdown and the pandemic). Plus, 40 per cent of homeowners experienced ‘Zoombarrassement’ over the appearance of their homes, inspiring renovation projects.

Almost a quarter of homeowners (24 per cent) stated they have used money originally intended for a holiday to finance their new home improvements, which is second only to general savings (26 per cent). Some even admitted to sacrificing their ‘big day’ as 4 per cent of British homeowners revealed they used savings originally intended for a wedding or engagement ring.

How are people changing their homes in this new, pandemic-centric world in which we find ourselves? Garden upgrades (34 per cent) top a list for the most popular lockdown renovation project, closely followed by the living room (23 per cent), bedroom (22 per cent), kitchen (22 per cent) and keen to make the most of staying home, green-fingered Brits have also been turning their hand to growing their own vegetables, with just over one in five (21 per cent) homeowners investing in a greenhouse or vegetable patch during the pandemic.

We strongly suspect that with people at home more, bathrooms will become a top priority for keen renovators. With home-working the status quo for now and probably the next while, bathroom footfall in our homes is on the up, the natural result of which is an increase in general wear and tear. We are also more likely to want a comfortable, relaxing, pleasurable facilities space in our homes as we spend more time there. Another key thing is the importance of good ventilation in terms of keeping coronavirus in check. Now this is less of a deal in our homes than in our work space but as lockdown eases and winter approaches, it’s important for us to think about keeping our bathrooms (and homes in general) free from stale air.

If you decide that you could do with advice or specialist help on certain jobs, do get
in touch! We’d love to help you put together your dream bathroom but also understand that installations can be costly. Why not apply for finance online? Visit our dedicated page HERE. The application form is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

What can affect the cost of a bathroom installation?

Installing a new bathroom will not only increase the value of your property but also be the source of much comfort and pleasure while you live in your home. It’s worth the investment but it’s good to have an idea of what an instillation is likely to cost before you make any big decisions.

Whether you’ve decided to do it yourself or hire a professional, here are a list of things that are likely to affect the overall cost of your new bathroom:

Plumbing – probably the biggest amounts you’ll spend will be on plumbing; new taps, toilet, shower or bath and sink, and anything related. The greater the alteration, the higher the cost (as more plumbing work is required).

Electrics – if you’re looking to upgrade your lighting (usually the case if your bathroom is quite old) for a look you prefer and lower running costs, you’ll need to spend money. Other electrical work may include installing a hand dryer, shaving socket, extractor fan or power shower.

Tiling – this is one of the more difficult mistakes to fix post project so it’s important to get it right the first time; the size of the area you’d like tiled as well as the type of tiles you choose, will affect the cost.

Flooring – you can keep the cost of flooring low by just fitting a vinyl floor, which is usually a cheaper option; if, however, you’d prefer to tile your floor, the cost will be higher.

Space – the size of the bathroom will affect the cost; a larger surface area will require more tiles and a bigger space might require more fittings, costing more money. The more things to do and the bigger the space – the greater the cost (usually).

How long the job takes – time is money; the longer the project takes to complete, the more you’re likely to pay.

Quality of fittings – the more ‘high end’ the fittings, the more they will cost although it’s worth remembering that sometimes the cheaper option doesn’t last as long and so you’ll end up spending money to replace worn-out fittings in the long run.

Waste disposal – tradesmen will charge a fee (usually modest) for disposing of the waste on your behalf. You could choose to dispose waste on your own (which may cost you anyway) and sometimes, depending on the type of fixtures you currently have, there may be scrap value to them (they could be traded by you or your contractor).

The skill set required for the installation of new bathroom suite is extensive, from plumbing and electrical fitting to decorating and painting. You might decide that you could do some DIY on your installation but you’d need to call in specialists for certain jobs. This could be expensive but compromising on quality could mean that you end up paying more anyway.

We’d love to help you put together your dream bathroom but understand that installations can be costly. Why not apply for finance online? Visit our dedicated page HERE. The application form is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Sources: Guides 4 Homeowners, Household Quotes

AA Cooper launches financial solution

The team at AA Cooper is pleased to announce the launch a brand new finance service in partnership with Ideal 4 Finance. We understand that the costs of upgrading/servicing/repairing might not be something you had planned for, which is why we have a pain-free financial solution for you!

Our flexible payment options are available for all our services with the majority being for new boiler installations and bathrooms.

A new bathroom increases the value of your property – perhaps you’re looking to sell your home or you’ve just purchased and are looking to renovate your bathroom. Or you’d just like something new but don’t want to go overboard in terms of budget as the investment may not be recouped in the future. The benefits of opting for finance through our solution are:

  • The quick application process
  • Soft search (does not harm your credit score)
  • Flexible repayment options
  • Rapid response time – you should receive a decision within 24 hours of applying online.

Whilst bathroom upgrades might be a lifestyle luxury (although not always!) boiler servicing is usually a necessity.

A new survey, commissioned by Worcester Bosch, found that 85 per cent of British households plan to keep their homes heated over 18°C this winter. In addition, 75 per cent of Brits typically take a warm shower or bath at least once a day, and 67 per cent rely on the hot water to wash up their dirty dishes daily. This highlights the importance of a reliable boiler as well as an annual service to ensure it is running smoothly.

Emergency repairs or servicing (certainly a brand new boiler!) can be costly – and we would love to help! To apply for finance online, visit our dedicated page HERE. The application form is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Source: HVP Magazine