Chadwicks recently conducted research on home offices and discovered that over 3 in 4 people are unhappy with their current work from home set-up. Chadwicks teamed up with builder and star of RTE Home Rescue, Pete Finn to provide some top tips on what to consider when creating a home office.

Key findings

• 77% are unhappy with their work from home set-up
• Only 1 in 5 have a dedicated home office space
• 17% say they are working from their kitchen
• 1 in 4 enjoy working from home but 50% would like a combination of at-home and office working
• Over half say they don’t have the right office equipment
• 72% have used household items to help with their office set up
• 65% will consider creating a home office in 2021

Over three quarters (77%) of those working from home are unhappy with their ‘home office’ set-up and only 1 in 5 currently have a dedicated at homework space according to new research by Chadwicks.

The survey of 928 people by Ireland’s leading builders’ merchants found that while working from home may pose challenges, 1 in 4 enjoy working from home while half would like to see a mix of office and remote working in the future.

Room to improve

According to the Chadwicks survey, most households do not have a dedicated office space leaving workers to get creative with commandeering other spaces in the home. A quarter say they have taken over a spare room, 17% have relocated to the kitchen, 11% are working from their bedroom while 2% have taken over the garden shed!

Although many of those polled have been working from home for almost a year, over half (56%) say they still don’t have the right office equipment. 72% admit to using common household items to help with their office set up including using their kitchen table as a desk (49%), using a dining room chair instead of work chair (53%) and over a third (34%) using books to prop up their computer. Six people polled even admit to using an ironing board as a desk!

Renovation, renovation

With working from home now the ‘new normal’, it’s perhaps no surprise that almost two thirds (65%) intend to create a dedicated home office in 2021.

To help the nation create a home office, Chadwicks Group has teamed up with builder and star of RTE Home Rescue, Pete Finn to provide some top tips on what to consider when creating a home office.

Whether it’s a full home office renovation, or simply sprucing up a work from home area, the Chadwicks team is on hand to advise on the right materials and tools to get the job done!

Pete’s top tips:

• Location Location. Think about the space in your home that you want to convert and how much renovation is required. For example, the conversion of an attic space or a garage might seem like a bigger project than converting a spare bedroom but would this be a better long-term solution? Ask yourself how many of you will be working from home? Will an attic or garage conversion allow for two people to work from home comfortably? The experts at Chadwicks will be able to advise you on the materials you’ll require to start your renovation. If you’re unsure of the space you want to convert, have a chat to a builder who will be able to advise.

• No room? No problem! While having a dedicated office space within the home is the ideal situation, it’s not always realistic. If you’re short on space, think about repurposing a corner in your living room as your work from home area with some shelving and a slimline desk which can be made to fit any space using MDF or OSB products.

• Get colourful! Colour is a great mood enhancer. Nothing transforms a home office quicker than a lick of paint. For a calm and relaxing environment pastels are an ideal choice. Light greens and blue will bring a zen-like vibe to your home working. For those looking to enhance their creativity, go bold and make a statement. Why not try a pop of colour by painting one wall in a vibrant hue. Chadwicks has dedicated paint counters and in-branch paint mixing services in selected branches, stocking a wide variety of colours from top name brands so you can pick the perfect colour for you.

To rewatch the Chadwicks and Pete The Builder Instagram Live, visit our Instagram page.

Transform your home office space with Chadwicks #LetsGetItDone