More Swedes want to carry out construction and renovation projects themselves

For the fifth year in a row, Byggmax has published its annual survey by Kantar Sifo, which reveals building and renovation trends in Sweden. Despite the increase in monthly costs, eight out of ten respondents plan to build or renovate, but they are taking on fewer and smaller projects. To save money, more people are choosing to do it themselves.

Just over half of Swedes have put a building project on hold in the past year, and the same number say that hiring tradesmen was more expensive than expected. Nevertheless, almost half say that plans to build or renovate have not been affected. As many as seven out of ten choose to build themselves instead of hiring tradesmen (+9 per cent compared with 2021).

The garden is the place where most people are confident about realising their projects. Swedes are less confident in the bathroom, with just 36 per cent saying they are confident enough to carry out a project themselves.

"We see a clear trend that more and more people are opting for DIY, and there is clearly money to be saved by building yourself," says Elliot Lindberg, head of Byggmax for Sweden.

The building report, based on a Sifo survey, also shows that building is best when you do it together. Three out of four respondents think the project is more fun and educational when they build with a friend, and 40 per cent of those who build with their children experience a significantly improved relationship.