The modern consumer has experienced more technological advancements in the home in recent years than before the Industrial Revolution. Tapping into this potential is at the top of most housebuilder lists as innovative technology is incorporated into new builds across the world.
Bathroom manufacturer, Geberit, conducted a survey amongst UK homeowners to determine their use of technology in the home and their willingness to spend more on buying new builds with smart solutions. They partnered with realtor Grant Bates to analyse the findings in more detail and investigate the untapped potential of the bathroom space for housebuilders.
Smart expectations
A YouGov poll of 1,200 UK homeowners focusing on technology and smart devices in the home found that he most popular spaces to see tech innovations featured were the living room (70%), the kitchen (34%) and home office (29%). Trailing behind at just 2% was the bathroom.
Yet, the bathroom should not be underestimated. Research by Geberit in 2018 found that nearly three quarters of us struggle to find time to relax and, in the quest for some respite, the bathroom was the most popular place of escape.
Convenient investment
Grant points out in the report,
“Bathrooms are critical to selling a hew home. For housebuilders there is a clear opportunity to improved saleability through bathroom design, specification and technological integration.”
Survey respondents were asked the type of bathroom technology they would expect to find in a new build, and odour extraction (39%) topped the list, followed by orientation lighting (34%). More than one in four (28%) expect to see touch-free flush plates and one in five (22%) believe that shower toilets should be a common feature.
Providing the answer
Geberit’s AquaClean Mera shower toilet features smart solutions such as odour extraction, built-in orientation lighting, a warm air dryer, and user recognition. Infra-red taps, such as the Brenta and Piave products, eliminate touchpoints for a premium hygienic finish. Geberit’s Option Plus and Acanto mirror cabinets also have integrated USB ports for charging devices, and provide discreet lighting.
There is clearly a growing expectation from homeowners for more smart innovations in the home as personalisation and technology becoming 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 report, visit www.geberit.co.uk/technology.