More than 60% of people say they’ll be making changes to their home this year, according to ta recent home improvement report.

The poll of 2,000 UK homeowners also revealed that of the 61% planning to do a bit of DIY, 63% would be making aesthetic changes through painting and decorating.

Two-thirds of respondents said they gave their homes a face-lift with a lick of paint last year, while 29% overhauled their gardens. The main reason given for these updates was for cosmetic purposes, with 66% choosing this reason over 9% who were preparing their home for a sale, indicating the ‘improve don’t move’ trend is still strong.

And there’s good news for the trade, with 20% of homeowners admitting to a botched DIY job, and more than a third of those calling in a professional to correct it.

Researchers also surveyed 1,000 tradespeople across the UK, revealing that a third of British tradesmen are predicting an increase
in business this year compared with 2010.