Consumer TRENDS
The Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS), which aims to protect consumers and raise standards in the glazing industry, has recently launched a new series of podcasts that discusses what’s currently happening in the window and door industry. As part of this series, Faisal Hussain, Chief Executive of DGCOS, is joined by George Clarke, architect, TV presenter and DGCOS Brand Ambassador, and Thom Emerson, Sales and Marketing Director of leading window and door supplier, Ideal Window Solutions. During the episode, they discuss home improvements trends, and in this article, Faisal discusses some of the highlights.
What’s Next for Consumers in 2022?
There is little doubt that these are challenging times. We are battling the rising cost of living against a big shift in our lifestyle’s brought about by the pandemic.
There are still some big economic challenges ahead: Inflation is at its highest rate for 30 years in contrast to an average 1% in regular pay; energy bills are rocketing – I have personally seen an increase of 50% on my energy bills since I came out of my energy deal in November last year, and I anticipate that is going to get higher and higher with oil prices at the highest in 7 years.
On top of all that, we have been spending significant amounts of time at home and this, too, has a massive impact on how we live and how we spend our money.
Right from the first lockdown, there has been a bounce in home improvements with a drive to making our homes more multi-functional to accommodate working from home, perhaps a home gym or a separate space where we can relax too because we were literally stuck at home.
A multi-functional home
The stay-at-home policy forced us all to consider how we are using our space. As an architect, George spoke about how he’s used design to allow our homes to function in multiple ways. The home is no longer just a place to live, but a place to work. Many found this difficult, especially when you add home teaching to the mix. We need areas in which we can both live and work that have a degree of separation to provide privacy but done so in a way we can get more out of the space. George said he had a lot of fun designing multifunctional, playful furniture: a desk which turns into a dining table, a drawing board that flips to become a bench seat.
It was also really interesting to hear Thom talk about the change in approach when it came to conservatories and orangeries. Traditionally, a conservatory or orangery was designed to be an extension of the kitchen, but now they are an extra leisure space with large-span bi-folding or patio doors that allow us to bring the outside in. Some people have opted to decant a room from inside the house to the new ‘outside’ space, so that a home office can be created further inside where it’s quieter. The key driver is to make the house feel less cramped and because we are doing more in our homes, even having the impression of space is important to our wellbeing.
Greening up
After creating useable space in our homes, the next big thing on the agenda is the ‘greening’. This is a subject that has been brought very much to the forefront but irrespective of Net Zero targets, many homeowners are considering ‘greening’ their homes to reduce energy bills, save money and make their homes more comfortable. As a nation, we have a huge Retrofit challenge ahead of us. We have the oldest housing stock in Europe which is great as we have beautiful building with historic features, but these properties are often drafty, cold, and hard to insulate.
There are many options available to us, such as high performing double and triple glazing, ground and air source heat pumps, solar, and investing in a combination of these could be paid back. On the flip side, not every product is right for every home. There is no point in installing a heat pump if your house has no insulation and single glazed windows. The units simply can’t work hard enough to heat your home. Any good installer will advise you from the outset that the key is to improve the fabric of the building to get the most out your investment and make your home as energy efficient as possible.
There are other considerations to make when choosing the best investments to make, especially when it comes to windows and doors. Working with the right installer that can help you make the right decision is key. They should play a consulting role, not just out to get a sale, and this is something DGCOS strongly endorses through its membership. To hear more on this and other trends like DIY wish list, the impact of the upcoming change in building regulations, triple glazing vs double glazing debate, and how homeowners are adding their personality to their homes, listen to the full podcast to here:
DGCOS, the Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme, mission is to protect consumers and raise standards in the glazing industry. DGCOS members are committed to complying with the highest standards of consumer protection. For more information, visit: www.DGCOS.org.uk
