Ikea, the iconic Swedish home-furnishing retailer, has made a move in the UK that, if you think about it, is entirely logical.
From yesterday’s Financial Times:
Ikea […] is to launch its own range of houses in Britain. The timber-framed homes – known as BoKloks – have been pioneered in Scandinavia by Ikea and the Swedish construction company Skanska. But now they are being brought to Britain as an answer to the country’s lack of affordable housing. Fortunately perhaps for those well used to the phenomenon of the missing part or allen-key wrist – the homes come ready built.
[…] The company expects to sell flats for under £100,000 and market three bedroomed houses, even in south-east England, for sale at less than £150,000. The homes will all have high ceilings, double glazing and be fitted out with Ikea kitchens and trademark wooden floors. The first BoKloks are expected to be built in Gateshead, where building work is due to start early next year. Glasgow is next.
With every BoKlok development targeted to offer housing at least 20 per cent cheaper than comparable properties in the surrounding area, interest is expected to be very high. The developers expect such demand that they anticipate applicants who meet strict criteria, including having a household income not exceeding £30,000 a year, may have to be chosen by lottery.
5 responses to “Buy your complete house at Ikea”
Let’s hope the houses are stronger than the cupboard I bought at IKEA just a couple of weeks ago… Mind you: I do not have an IKEA problem like some seem to do (viz. http://ikeasuckz.blogspot.com/), but there simply are some things I’ll gladly buy there, just as well as there are others I would never. In my case, a house belongs to the latter category….
My experience with Ikea, Serge, is that everything I’ve bought seems to last forever. Even some things I wish would break :)
So maybe the houses could be a good option.
In that case: let me know when you move house – I am, after all, curious to see one… :-)
Have you noticed that if you replace tyhe K’s with L’s and do a bit of fre-arranging, you end up with a word which many people think aptly describes IKEA.
[…] I like reading Neville Hobson’s blog. He’s at the cutting edge of PR, including having a business in the virtual land of Second Life. I need to know about PR because it can be useful to accounting professionals. In the right hands that is. Today he wrote a story about IKEA: Ikea […] is to launch its own range of houses in Britain. The timber-framed homes – known as BoKloks – have been pioneered in Scandinavia by Ikea and the Swedish construction company Skanska. But now they are being brought to Britain as an answer to the country’s lack of affordable housing. […]