70 INTERIORS
Lighting, too, can provide a simple way for housebuilders to add perceived value across projects. Mirror cabinets can have integrated USB ports for charging devices and LED bathroom mirrors can create discreet and attering lighting. ndeed we can expect to see manufacturers continue to innovate with future designs likely to display the news and weather or stream a favourite television show. It’s worth remembering, however, that technology in the bathroom doesn’t always have to mean connectivity and automation. With new builds getting smaller, housebuilders must meet the challenge of creating attractive and practical bathrooms. Wall-hung toilets and sanitaryware create the illusion of space by lifting products from the oor and can open up greater design eibility across projects.
HOUSEBUILDERS
by the kitchen and home offi ce (29%). Trailing behind at just 2% was the bathroom. It’s clear, then, that some areas of the home are advancing more rapidly than others when it comes to technology, and the bathroom has evolved at a relatively slow pace. erhaps this re ects the fact that housebuilders do not typically offer the same range of specifi cation options for the bathroom as they might do for, say, the kitchen. Yet, we must not underestimate the
signifi cance of the bathroom in our lives. For instance, research by Geberit in 2018 found that nearly three quarters of us struggle to fi nd time to rela and, in the quest for some respite, the bathroom was the most popular place of escape. Homeowners are increasingly looking for a sanctuary in their home. If a spa is the brief from your buyers, could technology hold the key to unlocking this? And are your buyers willing to pay more?
CONVENIENT INVESTMENT We put this question to our respondents. More than a third (35%) told us that they would be willing to pay more for a new home with technology and four in 10 of those polled believed that there could be more technology in new homes. There is clearly, therefore, a desire to see more innovations in new builds
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and a willingness to pay the so-called ‘convenience premium’.
But let’s return for a moment to the bathroom, where only 2% of homeowners rely on smart devices or technology. The sanctuary of the home. Are housebuilders missing a vital opportunity here? “Bathrooms are critical to selling a new home,” Grant points out. “For housebuilders there is a clear opportunity to improved saleability through bathroom design, specifi cation and technological integration.”
SOLUTIONS
The good news for housebuilders is that bathroom technologies are generally fuss free solutions. When we asked our respondents what bathroom technology they would epect to fi nd in a new build, odour extraction (39%) topped the list, followed by orientation lighting (34%). More than one in four (28%) expect to see touchfree ush plates and one in fi ve (22%) believe that shower toilets should be a common feature.
Of course, such innovations are nothing new for manufacturers. Shower toilet incorporates a number of smart features from odour extraction and built-in orientation lighting to a warm air dryer and user recognition. Infra-red taps, meanwhile remove touchpoints in the space for a premium hygienic fi nish.
So what are housebuilders’ attitudes to this? We spoke to a number of individuals from across the sector to better understand their attitudes to technology. The results further highlight the appetite for continued growth in home technology solutions. All our respondents agreed that UK new build homes could feature more technology and the vast majority intend to enhance their specifi cation offer in the coming years. Drivers for doing so included differentiation from competitors, brand reputation and meeting buyer demand to help expedite sales. Most of the respondents do currently feature bathroom technologies and plan to install additional innovations in future projects, recognising the importance of technology in attracting buyers and adding value.
CONCLUSION
“Developers should be focusing on the wow factors, the principal suites, entertaining spaces and bathrooms,” advises Grant Bates of Hamptons. “If any buyer is choosing between two similar schemes, they will opt for the product that makes their everyday life better and smart technology does just that.” There is clearly a growing expectation from homeowners for more smart innovations in the home as personalisation and technology become more important to buyers. Perhaps the bathroom can provide the answer. It’s time for housebuilders to widen their scope to take advantage of buyer demand. To download the full report on smart bathroom technology, visit:
www.geberit.co.uk/technology
Sophie Weston is marketing manager at Geberit
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