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Homeowners 'want eco-conscious home improvements'

Friday, 13 August 2010 6:00 PM

Homeowners are becoming more environmentally aware and this is being reflected in the purchases they are making, according to a leading manufacturer of kitchen products.

Alison Coleman, marketing manager for Magnet, was speaking after the company launched its range of ECO worktops, which are made from recycled and eco-friendly materials.

The worktops are composed of "recycled consumer waste such as mirror, porcelain sinks, baths and tiles, and from industrial waste such as ash from power plants and stone scrap from quarries and workshops," she said.

Santander Mortgages reported in June that first-time buyers spend an average of £3,782 on kitting out their new homes, the equivalent of three per cent of the average national house price.

Some 43 per cent of first-time buyers spend their first £1,000 on sofas and armchairs, followed by beds and kitchen appliances.

However, around half a million choose pleasure over practicality, putting a large proportion of their cash towards a housewarming party.

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