Herald - Issue 416

v GET MOVING WITH THE HERALD v 9th December 2021 • The HERALD • Page 67 hytheandwaterside.com Sales: 023 8084 5434 • Lettings: 023 8084 5096 PRO-ACTIVE HONEST RELIABLE TRUSTED The Hythe and Waterside Team, Lynne, Wayne, Darren, Jenny, Joe, Elizabeth and Meghan, would like to thank all of their customers for their continued support, we all wish you a very ‘Merry Christmas’ and a relaxing Yuletide shared with your friends and family. Happy Christmas to all of our customers old and new v ON THE HOME FRONT v Hythe and Waterside are delighted to o er searching renters the chance to have their pick of 5 newly refurbished ats. e ats are ground oor with two generous double bedrooms, they come with parking too, if desired. Furthermore they are conveniently located within walking distance of central Hythe, bus stops and Hythe Ferry, Hythe Village has an abundance of local shops, Lidl, Waitrose and Costa to mention a few. e waterfront and the New Forest are a short walk/drive away as is the City of Southampton. Please contact Hythe and Waterside to register your interest today! Call: 023 8084 5096 or email: info@ hytheandwaterside.com A NEW HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Ideal Starter Home Situated in the ever popular location of Hythe, this good sized 2 bedroom maisonette with private garden will attract a lot of interest. Bene tting from a lease extension along with a shared freehold, double glazing and garage in block, this property is within walking distance of Hythe village, with its selection of shops, restaurants, cafés, medical centres and churches. Hythe boasts the historic grade II listed Hythe Ferry, perfect for commuters looking to travel to Southampton City Centre, yet close to the New Forest National Park to enjoy all that the area has to o er. On the market for £204,950 this property also bene ts fromNOCHAIN. Call independent Estate Agents Paul Jefferys on: 023 8084 8555 , email: sales@paulje reys.co.uk or visit: www. paulje reys.co.uk for further details. Renovations surge but home improvement dreams hit a brick wall as homeowners struggle to get the job done. A report by Admiral home insurance reveals a huge surge in home improvements with the number of customers advising the insurer of home renovations up by 600% in 2020 compared to 2019. is rise in home improvements was also revealed when the insurer polled homeowners, with almost two thirds (61%) saying they have either completed a home improvement project within the last 18 months or are currently having work done. e latest research from the insurer is part of a report titled ‘Doing Up Britain’, which looked at the scale of the recent reported problems with the home improvement market. It found that while Brits were keen to do up their houses, many were running into problems. 64% confessed to facing issues when attempting to contact their tradesperson about starting work, with more than a h (22%) stating that their phone call or email was ignored. The rise in renovation As part of the investigation, Admiral explored how the average cost of home renovations has risen considerably since the pandemic last year. Looking at internal data the insurer found the amount homeowners are spending on building work during the pandemic increased by 163%. During the period January 2019 – March 2020, the average cost of renovations made by Admiral customers was £15,148. Since April 2020 this has shot up to £39,958. Analysis of its own data also reveals how the number of customers telling the insurer about home renovation projects spiked by 600% in 2020, compared to 2019. is shows that not only are the number of building projects rising, but the overall value of work is increasing - which means larger house transformations are being completed. Despite this increase, the insurer found almost a quarter (24%) of homeowners admitted they wouldn’t tell their insurer about any building work or renovations they were undertaking. But, failing to do so is a risk and could a ect any claims a homeowner makes if they’re not properly protected. Finding the right person for the job Admiral found that when it comes to sourcing a builder or other tradesperson, almost half (44%) of Brits prefer to work with someone who was recommended by a friend or neighbour. While more than a h (22%) would opt to look online and pick from a selection of companies from various trades. To check whether the chosen company is credible, homeowners would again prefer to either use a friend’s recommendation (38%) or go online to check their rating on reputable trades websites (37%). Whereas, one in 10 (10%) take a risk by failing to carry out any checks before appointing their builder or tradesperson – despite home improvement projects o en being costly and stressful tasks to complete. As well as helping homeowners understand the current issues facing the home improvements industry, the bespoke report from Admiral also provides top tips so Brits can e ectively manage their own projects. DOING UP BRITAIN