So what’s happening in the news?
Two different sets of figures have been released over the last few days that have revealed some very interesting things in the Australian home market.
We all like things big in Australia and this first set of findings really proves it! A new report by CommSec has revealed Australia continues to build the biggest homes in the world. The average new home built in Australia is still 10 percent bigger than its counterpart in the US.
The average new Aussie free-standing home is 243 square meters – almost double the size of the average home in Denmark.
After steadily rising for the last 25 years experts however now think the average house size has peaked as more people favour smaller dwellings with increase energy prices.
The second finding has revealed, the effects of our love of reality home renovation shows.
An estimated $10 billion will be spent on home renovation in NSW this year and figures from the Bureau of Statistics show that the value of large alterations to homes has increased by 11 per cent between 2009 and 2010.
Although our love of reality home reno shows might be inspiring DIY enthusiasts, there is a risk factor involved for the home and the dabblers themselves.
Figures from the National Injury Surveillance Unit at Flinders University, Adelaide found DIY-related accidents are increasing. The most common injuries in 2009-10 were caused by falls from ladders, followed by roof falls, power saws and other power tools.
There is a reality behind the reality tv shows. Many people might undertake projects without realising the full implications and naturally that’s where trouble can set in whether it be a burst pipe or budget blow-out.
So when you are renovating or building the world’s biggest home, remember safety first.