Improve your home, improve your happiness
Does your home make you proud and happy, or down in the dumps?
In our recent blog post, ‘What does ‘dream home’ mean to you?’, we wrote about last year’s Homeowners Survey, which found nine in 10 say their homes contribute to their wellbeing and happiness.
In fact, according to research from Kingfisher (the owner of B&Q) and the Happiness Research Institute, our homes account for 15% of our overall happiness - significantly more than our income or employment. The GoodHome Report also found that 73% of people who are happy with their home are also happy in life, as stated by the CEO of Kingfisher:
"The research shows that if you’re happy with your home, then you’re far more likely to be happy in life…What matters most is having a home that gives you a feeling of safety, comfort, identity and pride."
Worryingly, the research revealed 1 in 4 of Brits say they’re not happy with their home - but why?
Poor natural light, humidity and temperature control are mentioned but a staggering 20% of us say we lack space in our homes - the most common problem and the problem that has the biggest impact on how we feel.
So, what can you do if your home is making you feel a bit blue?
Sometimes, simply rearranging, decluttering and investing in some clever storage solutions is enough to create a greater sense of space. But, when that’s not enough, a home extension or loft conversion can help massively when you’re feeling the squeeze.
And it doesn’t need to be too expensive or time-consuming. Think about why you need the space and how you want to use it. Do you really need a 5x7m square home extension, which requires planning permission? Or would it make more sense to stick within permitted development rules and only extend by 3 metres across the whole width of your house? These are the types of questions we can help answer when we visit your home.
The GoodHome Report also revealed a clear, positive link between home improvements and home happiness:
“…investing time and energy into updating our homes and adapting them to suit our changing needs is also an investment in our happiness.”
However, the Homeowners Survey 2019 reveals almost 80% of homeowners have faced obstacles when carrying out home improvements, with the main obstacle being a difficulty in finding a reliable builder (42%) and over a quarter affected by planning permission issues.
At PPCo, we want to make home extensions and home improvement projects less complicated, more affordable and more accessible for everyday homeowners. After all, everybody should have the opportunity to create a home and a space that makes them happy.
Whether you need help finding a builder, advice on a self-build project, or you’re starting from scratch and need plans, we’re here to help. Contact our team now for expert architectural design and planning advice.