Homeowners favour kitchens and bathrooms

Homeowners are shunning expensive ecofeatures like solar panels in favour of new kitchens and bathrooms, a report claims.

- by Harriet Sutton

The study of 2,000 property owners found more than half are prioritising cosmetic makeovers because they believe it adds more value and offers instant gratification.

Many would rather splash out on a new kitchen (48 per cent) or bathroom suite (39 per cent) than invest in insulation (19 per cent) or energy-efficient heating systems (31 per cent).

And 43 per cent admit they opt for these flashy upgrades simply because they want something new to enjoy - with 16 per cent confessing they just love the thrill of a fresh home feature.

While 53 per cent said energy-efficient improvements just don’t give them the same buzz as a swanky new renovation.