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Sainsburys Finance found that 20% of loans taken out in the first six months of the year were solely for renovation or redecoration projects. Steven Baillie, head of loans at the company, indicated that the current state of the housing market may be encouraging people to “improve rather than move.” Baillie said: “Some recent reports indicate that many Britons are delaying buying major items at the moment, but our figures indicate that when it comes to our homes, improving them is the exception.” The recent survey found that at the start of 2010, the average loan amount for home improvements came to £9,225, up from £8,237 from last year.

Dow Building Solutions will install energy efficient Styrofoam-A insulation in building structures for the London 2012 Olympics, it has been reported.

Installing a solar roof panels could save you from £600 to £1000 a year a new report has said. Research by British Gas suggests that over 12 million homes in Britain have roofs which, if solar panels were installed, could produce enough electricity for up to half of their household needs.