Homeowners ditch big budget renovations for ‘tweakments’ as economy bites

One of the most common ways people are choosing to update their spaces is by creating ‘broken plan’ layouts, which can be easily achieved using room divides.

Brits are ditching building work and picking up paintbrushes as squeezed household budgets spark a new trend for micro-makeovers

Savvy homeowners are increasingly turning to quick and easy home ‘tweakments’ to improve their space rather than committing to major renovation projects, according to research by leading manufacturer of aluminium doors and windows, Origin.

Figures show that planning application requests have plunged by a quarter (25%) since 2023 as household budgets are squeezed. Instead, homeowners are prioritising ‘tweakments’ – smaller-scale projects designed to transform their spaces without the need for major time and financial investment.

Online searches for the term ‘remodel’ have increased by 284% as homeowners look to make the most of the space they already have without committing to a costly, large-scale extension.

Homeowners ditch big budget renovations for ‘tweakments’

The most popular tweakment is updating a home’s front door, with searches for advice on this soaring by 59%. Other popular updates include repainting, retiling, and dividing open-plan rooms, with searches for these terms increasing by 49%, 46%, and 22% respectively.

By contrast, searches for larger-scale renovations such as ‘home extension’ and ‘new windows’ are falling out of favour, with searches down by 16% and 10%, respectively.

Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin, comments: “Many big home renovation projects are being put on the backburner whilst families manage their budgets, but that doesn’t mean homeowners don’t want to improve their space. Instead, they’re focusing on making more of their existing space by remodelling and making smaller scale tweakments. These are less intrusive and more cost-effective, but can still make a huge difference to living spaces.

“One of the most common ways people are choosing to update their spaces is by creating ‘broken plan’ layouts, which can be easily achieved using room divides. Our own data show this too, with interest in internal glazed doors and fixed frames at an all-time-high as homeowners look to transform their property into more practical spaces without a full-scale renovation.”

‘Micro-makeovers’ are also going viral on social media, with ‘cupboard transformation’ and ‘master bedroom makeover’ currently trending on TikTok. This, alongside growing searches for #homeimprovement, #decorating, and #flooring on the platform, demonstrates that Brits are still committed to improving their space despite a difficult economic backdrop.

Victoria concludes: “With bills going up, it is not surprising that many homeowners are looking for smart ways to maximise their existing space, rather than splashing out on large extensions.

“Large-scale renovations feel risky, so homeowners are instead looking to make ‘tweakments’ to their homes. From fun new bathroom tiles to changing room layouts, there are so many ways homeowners can make their home feel fresh without turning it into a building site.”

The top most popular ‘home tweakments’:

1. Remodel – 284%

2. New front door – 59%

3. Home improvement – 51%

4. Wood paint – 49%

5. Tile colour – 46%

6. Door colour – 47%

7. Single storey extension – 46%

8. Front door colour – 32%

9. Painted ceiling – 32%

10. Paint colours – 24%

Visit the Origin website to explore the benefits of updating your internal doors.