Any couple who has attempted to renovate a property together will know how stressful it can be – but apparently one in 10 couples nearly split as a result.
A nationwide survey of 2,000 homeowners found 10% of British couples who are doing up their home almost broke up, while 7% actually did.
And the rest of us aren’t exempt from the drama either – 77% of couples doing renovations claim the project lead to furious arguments, and 15% said they were constantly at each other’s throats throughout the work.
The least surprising news ever.
Anyone who has ever attempted to hire a builder, haggle on cost, spend their weekends at B&Q looking for the right tile colour, or live in an eternal fog of dust will know renovation is no walk in the park.
Despite this, almost all of couples surveyed initially thought the project would bring them closer together in their relationship. Oh, the naivety.
Even those who didn’t break up said their relationship had suffered in ways they hadn’t expected – half said their sex life had been affected (and not for the better) and 8% complained activity in the bedroom was killed off completely.
In fact, as many as 58% of people who’d bought a house to renovate with their partner said they would never consider doing it again. And two-thirds who’d taken on a “fixer-upper” ended up resenting the house, anyway.
The research found that doing up a house is one of the most stressful things a couple can go through – ahead of having a baby or taking exams.
“Biting off more than you can chew can have serious consequences,” said Ryan Notz from My Builder, who conducted the survey. “No matter what type of project you are tackling, getting the experts in can save a lot of heartache.”