It’s that time of year again when Rated People launch their much-anticipated Home Improvement Trends Report. So, if you are a homeowner or a tradesperson, we recommend that you take a look at the latest report which is packed full of great ideas and insights for many different types of home renovation.
For this blog we’ll be looking at our top three home improvement trends for 2023 and should you decide one, or all three appeal, we’ve added some top tips of our own to help you on your home renovation journey.
Time to grab and hot drink, put your feet up and read on.
New bathrooms are high on the priority list
According to the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report 2023, a new bathroom ranks second as a job which homeowners plan to do in 2023 with kitchen renovations featuring lower down the list of priorities.
The main driver for home renovations in 2023 for homeowners is to add value to the property and we all know that a beautifully designed bathroom with an added bit of comfort certainly does that.
Last year we compiled our Bathroom Design Trends for 2023. There was a clear trend to a more sustainable approach to bathroom design and the technology to achieve it. This included creative and energy-efficient lighting as well as water-saving.
If water-saving and energy efficiency are high up on your list for a bathroom renovation, then new instantaneous hot water system technologies such as a Micro Electric Boiler would be worth considering. But why? With typical storage hot water systems, water is heated, it cools and then requires reheating when called upon which also wastes energy. The Micro Electric Boiler reduces water and energy waste by instantly heating the water you need, when you need it. A great addition to a bathroom where you won’t be waiting for the shower to get to temperature.
What about bathroom heating?
Electric underfloor heating is synonymous with bathroom renovations and for good reasons. Here are just a few:
Greater efficiency: Electric underfloor heating, as an example, operates at much lower temperatures and is 100% efficient at point of use. Each joule of energy paid for is used at the exact point where the heat it is needed.
Comfortable heat: Unlike traditional central heating, underfloor heating helps humidity to be kept in the air and then the heat is distributed evenly throughout the room which creates more comfortable heat.
Clean design: With no radiators the walls, there’s no limitation on how you design your new bathroom.
Environmental credentials: It produces much less carbon emissions compared to gas alternatives which means it’s better for the planet.
Reduces risk: An electric underfloor heating system efficiently dries a bathroom floor fast which means that there is less risk of an unfortunate slip when you hop out the bathtub or shower.
Almost zero maintenance: There are no moving parts which means that an electric underfloor heating system rarely breaks down. There are no water-filled pipes so there is less risk of property damage from burst pipework.
Tiled floors are the most common floor finishes in bathrooms which are perfect for either a heating and decoupling system or a mesh mat (heating mat) system. A heating and decoupling system is a more recent innovation compared to a mesh mat system. Decoupling membrane is designed to prevent cracking, lifting and delamination of tiled floors. This system allows for different heating outputs by changing the spacing between the cable.
The traditional mesh mat system is a series of heating cable attached to a mesh mat at regular intervals and is most used under tile or stone floor finishes. You’ll find that there are a variety of outputs available with this type of electric underfloor heating system and specifically for bathrooms, you’ll need a minimum of 150W/m2.
Read ‘What’s the best electric underfloor heating system to use’ for a more detailed overview of options for bathrooms.
There’s more good news. With 44% of homeowners stating that they would consider taking on the full renovation themselves, they’d be pleased to know that electric underfloor heating is easy to install. All you need to do is ask a professional electrician to make any connection to the mains. Look at our electric underfloor heating installation video guides to see how easy installation is.
50% of homeowners want eco home improvements
Homeowners are becoming increasingly concerned about the rising cost of energy and are turning to eco home improvements. In fact, over 50% of homeowners said that they want to do it to save money on their bills.
Included in the top 20 list of eco home improvements that homeowners want to install is smart thermostat (9th) and underfloor heating (15th).
Whether it’s smart control for electric radiators or for your electric underfloor heating. there are a wide range of options available. In fact, smart thermostats have the most potential of any thermostat to help you to reduce your running cost of your heating system, but features can also vary depending on the manufacturer / brand you choose.
Smart thermostats such as ThermoSphere’s SmartHome allows you control your underfloor heating via an app, as well as monitoring your energy consumption. If you’ve already got an Amazon Echo, you can even control your heating with your voice.
There are lots of claims made by thermostat manufacturers on how much you can save but these are often based on a household using the same heat setting all the time, or assuming that heating is turned down only overnight and not during the day. It is important to remember that the heating habits of each household are different so energy and cash savings can vary.
But do smart thermostats have the potential to save money off heating bills? Yes! They will save you money through better heating control efficiency over time but don’t expect an instant change to your bill that you could potentially get from changing energy suppliers.
As bold as brass
When it comes to the increasing popularity of materials, brass ranks the highest with a 7% increase. The natural colour is like that of gold, which is why it is often used as decorative and functional elements in homes. Brass is incredibly versatile and adds instant warmth to bathrooms.
However, if you are looking to add a real statement piece to your bathroom project, it could be worth looking at installing a set of ThermoSphere’s towel bars which are available in either brushed brass or diamond polished brass along with four other finish options.
The primary purpose of electric towel bars is to dry towels and not as a primary heat source for a bathroom. Moisture is a catalyst for growth of mildew / mould and is more difficult to control in humid and cold conditions. Electric towel bars remove moisture from the towel making it much more hygienic and takes away that horrible musty smell that damp towels give off.
When choosing your towel bars there are several factors to consider such as:
• The dimensions of the towel bar
• The size and shape of the bathroom
• The position of fixtures such as the sink, bath, and toilet
• If you would like single or double mounted towel bars
• The profile. For example, square or round
Our ‘Electric Towel Bar Buying Guide’ has everything you need when researching electric towel bars and covers why 12V towel bar collection could be the perfect fit for your bathroom.
What next?
Download the Rated People Home Improvements Trend Report 2023.
If you do have any questions, please contact our team who are always on hand with helpful advice that can save you both time and money.
Chris Hedges: Mar 10, 2023
Chris Hedges