2025 saw a surge in outdoor renovations according to new research, as Brits looked to get more out of their properties.
The data, which investigated the year’s biggest home renovation trends, found that searches for ‘outdoor kitchen’ reached a five year high with 18.1k Brits searching for this term – 3.3k higher than the previous year. In fact, ‘how much does it cost to build an outdoor kitchen?’ ranked fifth in the UK of all Google queries throughout July.
Similarly, pergolas have shot up in popularity with Google searches for the term reaching a four-year peak across the summer. There were over 90.5k searches for this garden feature in June alone, up from 74k in 2024.
Collated by underground utility search service, LSBUD, the data also revealed that people are prioritising their health and wellbeing in their outdoor renovations, a trend which originally peaked during COVID, but gained further traction in 2025.
Following the popularity of BBC TV series Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof in 2022, Brits are continuing to take the plunge, with Google searches for ‘cold plunge’ rising from 590 searches to 4,400 across the UK since 2022. The pattern is being seen on TikTok, with 212.5k videos using the hashtag ‘#coldplunge’.
Outdoor saunas were also popular with homeowners looking to renovate their gardens, with the term ‘outdoor sauna’ doubling in the last year alone.
Laura Knight, Head of Marketing at LSBUD, comments: “It’s been fascinating to see which outdoor renovation trends are on the rise in the UK – it’s a real reflection of what people want from their homes. People are opting to improve, not move.
“While it’s great that so many people are looking to maximise their outdoor living spaces, I would urge people to make sure they consider the safety risk that comes with digging up a garden. Just as an example, the average depth of a chemical or gas pipeline in the UK is 0.9m beneath the ground – plunge pools are between 1.2-2m. You can see the challenge this creates if people are digging unsafely. The consequences could be horrific.
“To make sure you reduce the chance of hitting a pipe or cable, you should always perform an online search. This tells you exactly what lies beneath your garden – so for anyone planning outdoor renovations in 2026, please consider this essential step!”
