More Than Half of Russians Put Off Home Renovations as Costs Rise, Survey Finds

April 22, 2026

More than half of Russians have abandoned plans to renovate their homes over the past three years, with most citing a lack of funds as the primary obstacle, according to a survey reported by the Gazeta.ru news website on Wednesday.

The poll, conducted by consulting company Verol, found that 56.3% of respondents were unable to afford home improvements despite wanting to carry them out, as the country’s economic outlook has deteriorated amid the war in Ukraine.

Rising borrowing costs, higher utility tariffs and persistent inflation are forcing households to scale back discretionary spending, with home renovations emerging as one of the clearest casualties of the squeeze on real incomes.

Budget constraints were cited by 75% of respondents as the main barrier to renovations.

About a third (31.3%) pointed to uncertainty or lack of experience, while 18.8% said family opinions influenced their decision.

Russians are increasingly opting for smaller, incremental changes instead of undertaking full-scale renovations.

Around 62.5% said they had focused on buying furniture, 50% on updating finishes and 43.8% on reconfiguring living spaces.

At the same time, 87.5% of respondents said their homes contain areas they do not use due to outdated design, inconvenient layouts or poor lighting.

Hallways and entry areas were the most commonly neglected spaces (87.5%), followed by living rooms (31.3%) and bedrooms (18.8%).

Industry data points to a broader slowdown in the home improvement sector. Foot traffic in home renovation stores fell 18% year-on-year in 2025, according to Focus Technologies.

Sales volumes declined across most categories, market research firm INFOline said.

Russians are cutting back on renovations due to high interest rates, rising utility costs and increasing prices for food and transportation, said Mikhail Vasilyev, head of research and consulting at Focus Technologies.

Labor costs have also risen sharply, further discouraging large-scale projects, according to INFOline CEO Mikhail Burmistrov.

“Three to four years ago, the cost of materials and labor was roughly split 50-50. Now it is closer to 30-70,” he said.

Prices for renovation services have climbed in recent years, with wallpaper installation costs rising about 15% in 2025, plastering up 19%, plumbing installation up 23% and electrical work up 4%, according to classifieds platform Avito.

Demand for full or major renovations has dropped significantly over the past year, said Moscow-based foreman Nikolai Efanov.

“People only have enough money to maintain their apartments — they call us in to patch or fix things locally,” he said.

Read this article in Russian at The Moscow Times' Russian service.

Read more about: Economy , Business

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribe Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription.

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today?
Remind me later. ×

Remind me next month