Why most dream home projects stay just that

Kirsty Mcluckie on repaving roads with good intentions

Many of us have big ideas for how we could improve our homes but actually getting round to doing the work is another matter.

Pouring over the pages of newspaper property sections or ideal homes magazines will give you inspiration, but when it comes to the perspiration of carrying out the work, there is a high proportion of us, it would seem, that opt for prevarication instead.

Whether it’s a loft conversion or creating a home office, over 60 per cent of Scottish homeowners have a home improvement project they would like to carry out but haven’t got round to yet, according to a Yougov survey of more than 2,400 UK homeowners commissioned by Personal Loans from John Lewis Finance.

Yet, despite the fact that over half of Scottish homeowners who have such ideas said the reason for carrying out the project would be to make their home “a nice place to be in”, one in four have been thinking about doing it for at least six years.

One in 14 homeowners surveyed have been thinking about carrying out their dream project for more than 11 years and 2 per cent have been thinking about their plans for over 20 years.

While the majority said the reason for doing the project they’re dreaming of is to make their home nicer, 30 per cent are more financially motivated, wanting to do it to add value to their home.

The most popular renovation among Scottish homeowners is a garden makeover, apparently, in comparison with the entire UK where the most popular dream project is a modernised kitchen.

However, if money and space – and presumably optimism in the Scottish weather – were no object the most popular improvement north of the border would be a swimming pool.

I can sympathise with those who daydream but don’t act.

I’ve long been imagining how much the light throughout my house would be dramatically increased by a cupola or even just Velux windows at the top of the stairs.

Several years ago, I went as far as consulting an architect to see if I would need planning permission.

I wouldn’t, apparently, nor would the cost be prohibitive. And still nothing gets done.

Mike Jackson, director, financial services at John Lewis, said: “Whether it’s building a new fitted kitchen, landscaping the garden, or finally converting a loft into an additional bedroom, most of us dream about ways to improve our homes.

“It’s a shame that so many homeowners aren’t getting around to these projects which many have been planning for years and years; especially as they have said it would mean they would enjoy their homes more, or add value to their property.”

What he perhaps doesn’t understand is that for many homeowners, dreaming of what they would do to their house is the best bit. Actually drawing up plans, organising finance and commissioning trades seems like hard work.

I suspect that the impetus needed for me, and a lot of people, is a deadline.

Every house I’ve ever owned has looked its best on the day that I sold it as we have strived to get the garden perfect, the kitchen gleaming and the paintwork tip top.

My landing skylight will one day be achieved, but probably only in the week before my current house goes on the market.