Who designs these surveys?

[ForPearlViper]

Has anyone looked at the home decor/DIY survey that's being promoted at the moment?

There is a question that asks "Which of the following rooms do you have in your home? Please select all that apply". Now, this would be a perfectly sensible question if it listed rooms that are outside those you'd expect in the most basic home like utility, separate dining room, atrium, solarium, long gallery. But, no. This list includes 'kitchen', 'bathroom' and 'my/our bedroom. Why?

I may be missing something, but I don't think that for someone struggling along without kitchen or bathroom facilities, the use of 'art' to 'bring your family’s personality to life in your home' is that high on the agenda.

I suppose some people might live in a studio flat where kitchen and sleeping areas are all in one room and there was a wet-room rather than a full bathroom - that wouldn't necessarily mean they were struggling; a single person in London for example might live in quite a sought-after area where even the smallest properties are expensive, designer-furnished type places.

Just done it - Q 11 asks about what input your children have on decorating their rooms, even if you haven't included children's rooms in the earlier question about what rooms you have in your house.

Maybe to be inclusive of those whose children have to live elsewhere because they live in a studio flat?

But if you were responsible for decorating their rooms, you'd include that in the earlier question about what rooms you had in your house. In most cases, children living separately would be in a property owned/rented by someone else (e.g. other parent) so their rooms wouldn't be relevant to the person answering the questions as it wouldn't be their property to decorate. In the circumstance that you owned a house where the children were living but had a separate studio flat, the house would be the 'your house' of the question, and so included.

Hi OP

Just to say, we've discussed your feedback here and we do understand the points you have raised. We'll be taking it into consideration for any future surveys.

Thank you.

I started doing the survey, since I’m just getting into DIY, but a lot of the options on major improvements are irrelevant when you live in a flat in the middle of a block. The people upstairs would object if I tried to extend upwards so I decided it probably didn’t apply to me.

Just as an additional comment. There were questions about the timings of renovation, decorating, flooring, etc, but the options didn't mention the major time you do this -when you move in. I don't think whoever was delegated to write the survey has actually had any experience of the topic of the survey. I fail to see how the results would be of much value to whoever commissioned it. Although I am pragmatic enough to know the point of a survey can be to say there was a survey.

It was a truly stupid survey! I've been doing some DIY today (I'm female and do all the DIY) - hung a door, chiselled out the bits for the hinges etc and then repainted the door frame. I don't see buying cushions and art DIY! And as for the bit on gardens - mine is for wildlife (not included) it's not a 'room' or play area and isn't anything like the minimalist style I like inside the house.

Agree. I added attracting wildlife as 'other' but was amazed that the question didn't seem to consider responses appropriate for the millions of us who just like growing plants (that aren't necessarily for eating in enormous salads).