Recession no barrier to home improvement

Homeowners are still improving their properties with kitchen extensions and the addition of a conservatory despite the recession, it has been claimed.

According to William Davies, managing director at Aspect Maintenance, falling house prices sparked by the credit crunch have even inspired some homeowners to modify their properties as they seek to create more space for their expanding families.

Another reason why people are still choosing to improve their homes is that they want to tailor them to their own individual needs, Mr Davies said.

"A trend that we have seen a lot more of over the last couple of years [is that] as soon as someone moves in to a property they seem to want to put their stamp on it," he commented.

"People are continuing to do that and just not moving as frequently now; they are still improving and doing bits and pieces."

Recent research from Hometrack suggests house prices are still on their way down, with a 0.8 per cent fall recorded in February.