Before the pandemic little attention was paid towards external ‘social areas’ of the home. Today, Toolstation reveals that homeowners’ perception of external importance has changed as specialist areas are seen as an asset rather than a novelty.
Sales for Toolstation’s outdoor buildings category are up 500% between Jan-May compared to the same period in 2020, as more people than ever are investing money in creating new and fun spaces. The figures also reveal that homeowners are big fans of the “Shoffice”, an office in a shed, with sales of sheds up 466% Jan-May compared to 2020.
The ‘social spaces’ trend shows no sign of slowing down as we have now become a nation of avid DIYers, with 44% of DIYers revealing they had taken on more challenging or difficult DIY tasks during lockdown and 48% said their DIY skills had improved. Toolstation anticipates Brits will continue to invest disposable income on creating these spaces, as lockdown eases and people start reconnecting with friends and family this summer.
Greg Richardson, Head of Marketing at Toolstation, comments: “It’s great to see the nation invest more disposable income on creating social spaces in and around the home. Not only does an external ‘social space’ add a fun factor to your home, but buyers in today’s market will take more notice of these areas which increases their potential to add value to the overall property. DIY doesn’t have to be difficult and no matter how big or small, we have the tools and many more products to help customers tackle their next project.”
