Building a family home remains a strong aspiration for many Hungarians, but financial uncertainty and a lack of confidence in the construction process continue to discourage prospective homeowners, according to a new representative survey commissioned by Wienerberger.
The research found that 31% of Hungarians would choose to build their own family home if financial constraints were removed, while a further 26% would opt to purchase a newly built property.
Even more, a whooping almost three-quarters of respondents agreed that building a home offers the opportunity to create a property that truly reflects their personal needs.
Money is the issue
Uncertain construction costs were identified as the main concern by 43% of respondents, making them the most frequently cited barrier. Finding a reliable contractor followed closely at 41%, while 40% pointed to the overall cost of construction as one of the biggest challenges facing future homeowners.
Confidence in managing a construction project also remains relatively low. More than four in ten respondents admitted they would not feel prepared to organise the construction of a family home, while only around one in ten said they would confidently manage such a project on their own.
More than half believe that modern residential construction has become too complex for the average person to fully understand, although a similar proportion also believe that careful planning can still keep projects under control.
A broader trust deficit across the residential construction sector
Nearly 73% of respondents expect the final cost of a building project to exceed the original budget, while the same proportion believe that building a family home has effectively become an option reserved for higher-income households.
Six in ten respondents also expressed concerns that contractors may reduce the quality of construction materials in ways that are difficult for customers to identify. These concerns are influencing what prospective homeowners expect from the industry.
Rather than focusing exclusively on lower prices, respondents said they are looking for greater predictability throughout the construction process. Detailed cost planning was identified as the most valuable form of support by 39% of respondents.
It was followed closely by professional supervision during construction at 38% and access to verified contractors at 35%. More than one-quarter also said they would welcome expert consultation before starting a project.
