Monday, July 10, 2006
Category:
Home Improvements
This time of year often sees many UK homeowners choosing to go ahead with home improvement jobs they have been planning for months, yet the traditional do it yourself (DIY) projects seem to be declining.
New research has found that homeowners are increasingly opting for GSI or 'getting someone in' as an alternative to tackling the job themselves. Home improvement projects can be hugely effective at not only enhancing current living conditions, but also adding significant value to the property. The current competitive housing market is therefore convincing many to embark on loft conversions or extensions. Even with smaller jobs, homeowners are increasingly choosing GSI, with a study from Abbey discovering that 28 per cent of people are using professionals rather than undertaking projects themselves.
Abbey has found that GSI can actually prove more cost-effective than DIY, despite the perception of many that it would be cheaper to carry out home improvements themselves. The majority of DIY jobs take a massive 12 months or more to complete, while the cost of materials and leisure time lost can make GSI a far more attractive option.
"Overwhelmingly the perception of GSI is that it costs significantly more than doing it yourself. However, our research shows that this is not necessarily the case," explained Jeff Scott, head of Abbey Loans.
"The cost of DIY can be significantly more in terms of physical and emotional stress as well as money, particularly when the cost of leisure time and fixing DIY mistakes are factored in.
"On the whole DIY seems to be a lengthy and stressful affair which can be made much more painless by simply paying to GSI.
While over a quarter of respondents to the Abbey survey are already fans of GSI, 55 per cent would rather pay for a professional if they felt they could afford it. There are many ways homeowners can fund their DIY or GSI with home improvements often adding value to a home. A homeowner loan is one option which could be considered.
