Rising Costs And Work-Life Balance Are Driving Britain’s Home Business Boom

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Britain's entrepreneurs are increasingly choosing to run businesses from home as rising commercial costs, greater flexibility and changing attitudes towards work reshape the country's small business landscape.

New research from Dunster House, garden building specialists, found that almost half (46%) of home business owners now rely on their venture as their primary source of income, while a further 28% say it provides a significant financial contribution to their household finances.

The findings suggest that home businesses have evolved far beyond side hustles, with many entrepreneurs deliberately building long-term businesses from spare bedrooms, garages, garden rooms, and other home workspaces.

When asked what motivated them to start a home-based business, respondents overwhelmingly cited lifestyle benefits over financial necessity, with nearly half saying that a better work-life balance was their top motivator.

Why are Brits choosing to run businesses from home?

Motivation	% of respondents
Better work-life balance	47%
Wanted to work remotely or from home	36%
Wanted more flexibility	36%
Turned a hobby or passion into a business	32%
Wanted to leave their job	31%
Wanted to spend more time with family	29%
Started a side hustle to earn additional income	22%
Renting commercial space was too expensive	14%
COVID-19 prompted a change in direction	12%

Although the data shows that quality-of-life factors dominate, cost remains an important consideration. Commercial property rents in the UK have risen by an average of 3.1% annually as of mid-2026, according to the Carter Jonas Commercial Market Outlook and with this rise, many entrepreneurs are choosing to invest in their own properties rather than commit to expensive premises.

Christopher Murphy MBE, founder of Dunster House, said:

"For many entrepreneurs, running a business from home removes one of the biggest barriers to getting started, the cost of commercial premises. As rents and operating costs continue to rise, more people are realising they don't need a high street unit or office lease to build a successful business. Home working has made entrepreneurship more accessible, allowing people to invest in growing their business rather than covering overheads."

55% regularly work evenings and weekends as home businesses blur work-life boundaries

Despite the flexibility and freedom, there are some payoffs that are being experienced by those who do business out of their home. Many entrepreneurs admit that separating work and home life can be difficult.

More than half (55%) say they regularly work evenings and weekends, while almost half (48%) have experienced loneliness or isolation because of running a business from home.

Meanwhile, one in three (33%) have had customers unexpectedly turn up at their home, highlighting the difficulties many face in maintaining professional boundaries. The findings also reveal the growing pressure that businesses can place on domestic spaces, with 58% saying their enterprise has taken over parts of their personal living environment.

To address these challenges, many entrepreneurs are investing heavily in dedicated workspaces. Nearly two-thirds (62%) have already spent money improving their workspace, with respondents investing an average of £5,170 into creating environments better suited to running a business.

When asked what improvements they would make if budget were no obstacle, better broadband and Wi-Fi (34%), improved heating and air conditioning (34%), and a fully insulated garden office (32%) topped the list.

Categories

Feb 24
2 min read

One of the UK’s fastest growing suppliers of architectural and sustainable tiles is celebrating a record twelve months, with news of a major showroom upgrade on the way.

Solus, which was founded by Peter Bentley in the family home in 1995, has seen sales soar from £16m in 2021 to £26m last year, with high profile projects currently being completed at Kensington Olympia and Finsbury Dials.

The company’s commitment to ‘people’, ‘product’ and ‘planet’ has seen it develop an international network of trusted suppliers that provide unique ranges of sustainable tiles for architects, designers, commercial contracts and retail.

With strong growth seen across its satellite showrooms in London and Manchester, the company is also nearing completion of a significant upgrade to its Birmingham HQ and showroom on Warwick Road in Birmingham.

CEO Marcus Bentley, who is the son of founder Peter commented:

“Last year was our 30th birthday and it gave us the perfect opportunity to celebrate what we’ve achieved in that time and, importantly, how we want to move forward over the next decade."

“We’ve been based at our HQ in Tyseley since 2008 and felt it was the right time to press the button on a complete transformation of the showroom, creating a unique space that will appeal to the residential market, as well as being a fantastic hub for architects and the design community.”

He continued: “The layout has been carefully designed to deliver a clean, intuitive, and enjoyable customer journey. Thoughtful features, such as slab walls, cross-section displays, a free sample wall, and a fast quotation service, make it easy for clients to explore options and make confident decisions."

“We’re just putting the finishing touches to the ambitious project and will look at holding a special launch event in early March.”

Solus, which holds the Investors in People Gold’ standard, has built its success on strategic partnerships with leading factories and collaborations with top architects, designers and developers.

Its current portfolio of high-quality tiles spans more than 300 different ranges, including LoopCrete and LoopStone (both incorporating 63% of pre and post-consumer recycled content) and its recently launched ‘carbon zero’ Caldera and Masso.

Since 2019, the company has supplied over 2.5million sq metres of tiles and has been involved in prestigious locations with Porsche, Five Guys, BMW and Aston Villa Football Club.

Sam Frith, Creative Director at Solus, went on to add:

“In the retail space and certainly in the West Midlands, we are probably the home improvement market’s best-kept secret."

“Our reputation is strong with architects, designers and big corporate specifiers and we can bring that same quality, attention to detail, innovation and customer service to the local public."

“The new HQ and showroom will display a carefully curated product range that blends exceptional quality with accessibility across all budgets. And this will be reinforced by our friendly and knowledgeable team that will be on hand to help homeowners choose the ideal tiling solutions for homes and gardens.”

For further information, please visit here.

Photos:

Solus Garden Centre: Solus’ Construct range can create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Ryan and Marcus (Solo): (l-r) Ryan Bennett (Managing Director) with CEO Marcus Bentley.