New homes survey finds that few miss ‘the great British doorstep’

The evaluation is based on a survey of more than 300 residents of properties built to ‘Lifetime Homes’ standards and on interviews with builders, estate agents and other professionals. It was conducted a year after the Government changed its own ‘Part M’ building regulations to make most of the 16 ‘lifetime’ features mandatory for new houses. These include a level entrance, more circulation space, wider doorways, switches and sockets at convenient heights and an entrance-level toilet.

The survey, conducted among tenants and owners of homes built by the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust and the Habinteg Housing Association, found that:

• Although many were unaware that their property qualified as a ‘Lifetime Home’, eight out of ten thought the concept was a good idea.
• Eight out of ten said that car parking close to the entrance and a covered entrance, with outside light, were important to them. Seven out of ten said the same about low-level, easily opened windows.
• A downstairs toilet was universally popular, but only half thought it important to have the space and plumbing to install a shower if necessary.
• One in ten expressed reservations about the level access, but six out of ten said they would choose it in preference to a doorstep.
• While a third said they would have liked narrower hallways and larger rooms, another three out of ten preferred the extra turning space in halls and corridors. A quarter would have chosen an open plan arrangement.
• Of those who expressed a preference (60 per cent), almost all said they would prefer to live in a Lifetime Home rather than similar property without the design features.

Interviews with housebuilders and other professionals revealed that although the new Part M regulations had made a significant impact on practices and costs, it was not as great as feared. Even so, the industry’s perception continued to be negative, believing that only a small proportion of the house-buying public would benefit positively from the changes. There was also some suggestion that the industry had taken advantage of phased introduction to delay implementing the new rules on sites for as long as possible.

Most estate agents appeared to be unaware of the changes. Those selling homes built to the new standards had encountered a few negative reactions from buyers where bad design had resulted in level access looking like a ramp. But it was thought that downstairs toilets and more bathroom space were positive selling points.

The evaluation was carried out by Leslie Sopp, former Head of Market Research at the Consumer Association, now Head of Research at the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He said: “Despite initial negative perceptions among some housebuilders, the industry may have to concede that the design differences are mostly quite subtle and that buyers or tenants may not even notice the difference. The survey of residents living in Lifetime Homes shows that the changes, when recognised, are welcome.”

Note to Editors

Living in a Lifetime Home: A survey of residents’ and developers’ views by Leslie Sopp and Liz Wood is published for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation by York Publishing Services, 64 Hallfield Road, Layerthorpe, York YO31 7ZQ (01904 430033) price £12.95 plus £2 p&p. A summary of findings is available here.

For further information, contact:

Leslie Sopp (author) 020-7920 8738

(Issued by David Utting, JRF Head of Media Relations, 020-7278 9665)