Prioritize infrastructure upgrades
- Home-renovation advice is shifting toward durable, infrastructure-heavy upgrades instead of flashy finishes right now. (mykukun.com) - The guidance specifically highlights resilient roofing and smart HVAC as top 'recession-resistant' renovation moves. (mykukun.com) - That counsel arrives alongside modest UK house-price growth of 1.2% year-over-year in February, tightening renovation budgets. (gov.uk)
Homeowners are being told to put renovation money into roofs, heating and cooling, and other core systems before they spend on cosmetic upgrades. (mykukun.com) Kukun said on April 22 that “boring” infrastructure work is the most profitable move in a cooling 2026 market, arguing that resilient roofing and smart heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems hold value better than luxury finishes. The company said a luxury kitchen may return about 60% in a softer market, while core “hardening” work can return 110% by cutting operating costs and helping a home stay insurable. (mykukun.com) The backdrop is slower price growth in the UK housing market. HM Land Registry’s February 2026 index, published April 22, showed average UK house prices up 1.2% from a year earlier, with the average property at £267,957 after a 0.1% monthly rise. (gov.uk) That growth was uneven across the UK. England’s average price reached £290,000, up 0.8% year over year, while Wales rose 2.5% to £210,000 and Scotland rose 2.3% to £187,000; in England, London was down 3.3% from a year earlier. (gov.uk) The renovation case has shifted with those numbers. Kukun said buyers in 2026 are more focused on total cost of ownership, and that homes that are expensive to insure, heat, or repair are harder to sell in a market correction. (mykukun.com) The roof sits at the top of that list because it affects both damage risk and insurance costs. In a separate 2026 guide, Kukun said Class 4 impact-resistant shingles and standing-seam metal roofs can qualify for insurance discounts of as much as 35% in high-wind areas. (mykukun.com) Smart heating and cooling systems fit the same logic. Kukun’s April 22 note said efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades lower monthly bills and improve what it calls a property’s “resilience” score, a measure the company uses to track how well a home handles climate and operating risks. (mykukun.com) Kukun is a renovation-data company, so its advice also serves its business model. Its public site says it sells tools that help homeowners, investors, and real-estate professionals estimate renovation costs and track property-condition scores. (mykukun.com) The practical message is narrower than “skip every cosmetic project.” In a market where UK prices rose 1.2% in February 2026 and some regions lagged far behind that, the pitch is to spend first on the parts of a house that keep it standing, insurable, and cheaper to run. (gov.uk)
