A new report into the way we are living in our homes has revealed that Brits are choosing to stay put for longer, and renovate instead of relocate.
Seven in ten (70%) Brits have lived in their current home for five years or more, with half (49%) staying settled for over a decade. The research, conducted by B&Q as part of The Way We Live Now 2025 report, found that 53% of the nation plan to remain in their current home for at least another five years.
Instead of moving, homeowners and renters alike are instead choosing to adapt their current homes to meet their changing circumstances, such as looking after elderly parents, having grown-up kids ‘boomerang’ back or starting a “home hustle”.
With flexible working arrangements and boomerang kids being the two main factors driving DIY projects, over two thirds (68%) of families have remodelled their home to adapt to their evolving lifestyles.
And it’s not just painting walls and buying home decor, 40% of homeowners and 23% of renters have radically reimagined the space in their homes, or plan to in the future, to accommodate changing household needs – with 25% of homeowners carrying out major building works such as a side return or an extension.
So, why aren’t people moving?
Two thirds (66%) of homeowners and nearly half (47%) of renters consider their current home their ‘forever home’, according to the research. While some have chosen this, others face financial barriers.
Parents, in particular, are concerned about the future, with 72% struggling to see how their children will ever afford to buy their own home. In fact, nearly a third (30%) of all family households contain adult children, including those that have “boomeranged” back after university, a breakup, or due to financial constraints.
Since the turn of the century, living arrangements for 18-34 year olds has drastically changed. In 1997, the most common living arrangement for an adult aged between 18 and 34 was being in a couple with children, now, it is living with your parents according to the Resolution Foundation**.
The B&Q report found that struggling to save for a deposit (49%), inability to get a decent mortgage based on earnings (42%) and no “bank of Mum and Dad” (28%) are the three key barriers to home ownership. As a result, almost half (46%) of families with adult children have delayed downsizing to provide continued support, highlighting a generational shift in homeownership dynamics.
However, the ‘move to improve’ approach is waning – the research found that the vast majority of the nation are satisfied with their homes (73%) with fewer than 1 in 10 (9%) feeling actively dissatisfied. The favourable relationship people have with their homes is echoed in reasons for staying put long term. While 1 in 5 (19%) feel financially trapped, the rest are planning to stay for positive reasons with 58% saying they love their home.
Brits are also feeling empowered to flex their DIY skills with 59% feeling more knowledgeable about DIY than they did five years ago and 73% saying they are a capable DIY-er.
Lucy from Cambridge has lived in her home for almost 30 years, gradually transforming it through extensions and renovations to match her family’s changing needs. With a teenage son and business that runs from home, she has adapted her home to convert a traditional dining room into their son’s “den” and transformed their garage into a WFH office to run her two businesses.
Lucy from Cambridge says: “I wanted my space to be flexible to my changing family and my work from home routine, while still feeling warm and welcoming and so I looked at the purposes of each room and how they could be better used. The dining room just wasn’t being used, so I decided to turn it into a den for my teenage son. This gives him his own space should he not fly the nest perhaps as quickly as kids would have in the past. Plus, with our new open-plan layout, we still come together for family dinners in the kitchen. It’s all about making the space work for us.”
Graham Bell, CEO at B&Q says: “It’s great to see that more people are building deeper connections with their homes, and choosing to love and not list them. They’re opting to stay where they are and embrace the idea of transforming and creating a home for life. We’re seeing homeowners have more confidence to undertake radical transformations – bedrooms being moved downstairs, garden rooms becoming annexes with separate entrances, walls going up, and others coming down – whether it’s to accommodate a need driven by living alone, or with immediate or extended family. At B&Q, we believe in better homes and better lives for everyone, and with a growing demographic of diy-ers, we’re continuing to evolve and modernise our offer, to give our customers greater choice, convenience and expertise.
B&Q’s The Way We Live Now 2025 Report also explored:
- How many renters are no longer just tenants, they are actively working with their landlord to invest in their homes
- How we’re becoming a nation of amateur experts, with social media sparking creativity, especially in Gen Z
- The generational trade gap in the trade industry
