More than half of us plan to stay in our homes for at least the next ten years, according to a recent survey of more than 1000 people by Adbri Masonry.
The survey showed that 32 per cent intended to live in their property for 20 plus years, while a further 20 per cent expected to stay between 10 and 20 years. When asked if they were likely to sell, rent or stay considering the current housing market conditions, 77 per cent said they would remain in their home, and 68 per cent were planning to make improvements or undertake new projects in their outdoor rooms in 2019.
"It's clear the current market conditions lend themselves towards people staying put for longer," Karl Wood, Marketing Manager at Adbri Masonry said.
"The 2019 survey findings supports research showing that home ownership 'hold time' has been on a steady increase for over a decade. In 2004 the average time in a home was 6.8 years compared to 10.5 years in 2014 (according to Corelogic research) and our survey shows this is increasing to 20 plus years."
The survey also found that over 42 per cent of people used their backyards primarily for entertaining, leading award winning landscape designer and Adbri Masonry Brand Ambassador Jason Hodges to say that the backyard you have today is unlikely to meet your needs in 10 or 15 years time.
He supplied these cost-effective tips to creating a backyard that will last:
1. Do it once, do it well. Unlike kitchens and bathrooms, styles in the backyard last longer. Like any project, there is an obvious up front cost but when you consider the whole of life cost, the investment in hard wearing materials stacks up.
2. Prepare for the future. Try to accommodate the fact your ideas and needs will change for your outdoor area over time. So, for example, don't block access to parts of the yard you may need later, perhaps you will want a pool or a BBQ area. It's much more economical to think ahead rather than having to build and rip elements out at a later stage.
3. Have a transitional mindset. As your life changes think about how you can change the backyard space to meet your needs. Perhaps build a sand pit for the kids while they are little and then convert it into a vegie patch as they grow. Once the perimeter and foundation are built, minor cosmetic enhancements will allow the space to grow with you. Down the track, you could covert it to a fire pit.
4. Take your time. Have a game plan. For more than half of those surveyed, cost is a barrier to renovating, however, you can have the overall picture of what you would like to achieve but then break it down into manageable chunks of your time and budget.
For example, large concrete pavers can work to create a barbeque area, kitchen and dance floor when you are entertaining, then you could add decorative screening and informal seating (such as raised garden beds) to section off a play space for kids, and once everyone has grown up, convert the sand pit to a fire pit and invest in a new piece of furniture that perfectly suits the two of you.
