38% of Australians Planning to Start Home Renovations in the Next Year

Renovation expenditure may have fallen over the last 12 months, but new survey research from Brighter suggests this might be because Australians are still in the throes of planning their dream home makeover.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Building Activity report, released today, shows that $2.1 billion has been spent on alterations and additions to residential buildings between June and September this year, a 3.4% decline from the previous quarter.

Over a third of Australians (38%) are planning to kick off home renovations in the next 12 months, a 14% increase from those who renovated in the previous 12 months.

Brighter found that when Australians are ready to renovate, they are keen to cook up a storm in a new kitchen.

42% of respondents say it would be the first room that they give a facelift to. One-third of future renovators are planning to install a gas cooktop.

“It is often said that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, but it is more than aesthetics. Australians are considering their energy sources when picking appliances.”

With 40% of Australians indicating that they want to upgrade the bathroom, the data found that energy efficiency and choosing systems that provide hot water at any time was critical to the upgrade process.

And Australians are still choosing natural gas to heat and power their homes.

In fact, gas-powered appliances make up two of the top five dream features. Australian’s dream features, in order, are:

• an air-conditioner for those hot summer days,
• a walk-in wardrobe,
• gas-boosted solar hot water,
• a gas cooktop, and
• a home theatre.

Data from Australian Construction Insights shows that builders have found that gas hot water systems and cooktops were the most popular appliances requested by clients.

Renovators are opting to install gas hot water systems, while new home builders are choosing to install gas fireplaces and built-in barbecues for that added comfort. In 2018, instantaneous gas was the most common hot water system in homes built or renovated across Australia. 59.4% of respondents nationally opted for a gas hot water system, while one-third of Victorians chose gas-boosted solar.