UK home improvement trends report — 2026

Headline numbers

• +18% year-on-year growth in projects under £15,000 — homeowners renovating instead of moving.
• £14,200 — average accepted project value on RefurbMatch (London & Essex, last 12 months).
• 4.6 days — average time from job posted to first quote accepted.
• 72% of homeowners now request at least one energy-efficiency upgrade alongside their main project.

What's growing

• Bathroom refits (+23%): wet rooms, large-format porcelain, brushed-brass brassware.
• Heat pumps (+41% enquiries, ~12% conversion to install): grant-driven, still bottlenecked by surveyors.
• Loft conversions (+15%): dormer + en-suite remains the highest-ROI add in London terraces.
• Garden rooms / outbuildings (+28%): home offices and gyms, typically £18–35k.

What's slowing

• Large rear extensions over £80k are down 9% as borrowing costs bite.
• All-electric kitchens with induction + extract have plateaued — gas-hob removals are the new norm.
• Open-plan everything is reversing. "Broken-plan" with sliding doors and snugs is now requested in 1 in 4 kitchen briefs.

Materials & finishes 2026

• Warm woods (oak, walnut) overtaking grey on cabinetry.
• Microcement and tadelakt growing fast in bathrooms.
• Brushed brass and antique bronze continue to displace chrome.
• Quartz still dominates worktops but porcelain slabs are catching up, especially for outdoor kitchens.

Regional picture (London & Essex)

• Inner London: bathroom and kitchen refits, no layout change — owners maximising existing sq ft.
• Outer London: side-return extensions and loft conversions.
• Essex: full house refurbs, garden rooms, large-format orangery-style rear extensions.

What this means for you

Homeowners: If you're planning a project, post it now — quote competition is healthier in Q1/Q2 and lead-times shorten by 30%. Get a free estimate.

Tradespeople: Bathrooms, lofts and garden rooms are where the volume is. If you can quote on EV chargers, heat pumps or air-tightness, you'll out-convert generalists this year. Join RefurbMatch.

Methodology: anonymised quote and acceptance data from RefurbMatch projects in Greater London and Essex, Jan 2025 – Dec 2025. Sample size: 4,800+ leads, 1,200+ accepted projects.