If there was one silver lining of the repeated lockdowns last year, it was that many of us got around to completing the home improvements we’ve been meaning to address for years. There was little to do but stare at the walls all day, so it’s no wonder that DIY searches boomed in 2021.
But what’s in store for 2022? The lockdowns may have ended, but our love for DIY has not. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, we can take a look at how various search queries have increased or decreased in volume to predict the biggest trends of 2022.
Home Remodelling
Searches for home remodelling more than doubled in 2021 compared to 2020. The search volume rose by 54%.
Of the main remodelling projects, kitchen models had the biggest growth in interest. Searches rose by 23% from March 2020 to March 2021. Perhaps with restaurants closed for much of the year, many homeowners chose to take up cooking and are now interested in upgrading their kitchen to develop their new hobby.
However, this spike in interest hasn’t continued. Searches for kitchen renovations have decreased by 51% in January 2022 from one year prior. Bathroom renovations also decreased by 14%, indicating that the home remodelling trend may have peaked already.
The story is much the same for kitchen extensions and garage extensions, which have seen a 41% and 71% decrease in search volume, respectively.
Upgrading Our Gardens
If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us it’s that we should never take our outdoor space for granted. Those of us lucky enough to have a garden will know that getting some fresh air during lockdowns was a blessing.
Interest in renovating the garden skyrocketed during the pandemic. 39% of people have got more into gardening during lockdown and a whopping 64% of UK residents now claim that a garden is a must-have feature when buying a home.
Despite the pandemic coming to a close, our love for our gardens continues to grow. Searches for solar panel installation, gardener and shed have grown by 68%, 33% and 5%, respectively.
As winter starts to taper off and the warmer weather begins to show its face, we can expect many UK homeowners to be tending to their garden. 2022 is set to be the year of bright flowerbeds and luscious lawns.
Home Offices
It’s no surprise that searches for home offices have boomed since the pandemic began. Though many of us have been working at home since 2020, 2021 was the year when working from home was expected to become a permanent change. Consequently, 2021 saw a surge in home office renovations.
Searches for home offices fell 22% in January 2022 after a spike in the year prior. However, we can expect home offices to continue to play a big role in 2022. As the pandemic (hopefully!) nears its conclusion, many people will be in a better and more secure financial position to invest in their new office.
And if you’re interested in a little DIY, why not visit the Hitchcock Hub? The Hitchcock Hub is packed with useful information, resources, guidance and tips for everyone — from commercial builders to new DIYers.
Patio
Patios are great for entertaining, cooking, eating and relaxing — they can be used however you like. Add a few items of furniture, an awning and you’ve got yourself a living area in your own back garden.
However, despite a boom in searches for patios in 2021, search volume has seen a 45% decrease in January 2022 from a year prior. Don’t expect patios to be a feature trend for 2022.
Heating and insulation
The largest recorded increase in home improvement searches came from boiler upgrades. Search volume increased by 154% in January 2022 from a year prior. Searches for loft insulation and wall insulation also saw increases of 18% and 13%, respectively.
So what does this indicate? We believe that the expected rise in living costs has driven homeowners and landlords to seek cost effective solutions to heating and insulating their home. Expect many homes to replace their boilers and improve insulation this year. While this may not be the most aesthetic change to homes, it will certainly be one of the most practical.
