While project backlogs remain higher than the same period last year, home renovation and design businesses in the construction sector and architectural design services sector experienced a decline in project backlog, according to the Q3 2018 Houzz Backlog Indicator.* The Houzz Backlog Indicator tracks the average number of weeks before a business can start work on a new midsize project and is a component of the U.S. Houzz Renovation Barometer. Construction Sector The Backlog

This week, the National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales saw a four month decline in July to their slowest pace in over two years. Despite an apparent slump in the existing home sales data, the outlook for the home improvement market remains strong for the rest of the year. At the start of Q3, remodelers on Houzz reported an average project backlog of 10 weeks, twice higher than the same time a year ago. Similarly, remodelers’ expectations for new inq

It’s time to take the party outside, according to the Houzz 2018 Landscaping Survey,* which found that over half of homeowners spend more time entertaining outside after completing landscaping projects (51%). More than a quarter of homeowners also report that their usable outdoor area is significantly larger than that of their home (27%). So transforming the yard into added living space creates an entertaining haven for the next garden party or backyard barbecue. The study fo

With the holiday of love upon us, we surveyed our community* to find out what it’s like to remodel, redecorate or build a home with your significant other. The 2018 Houzz Remodeling & Relationships Survey found that more than half of respondents claim it was a collaborative and fulfilling experience (59% and 53%, respectively). But for some, love and home projects are like oil and vinegar, with one third finding the process frustrating (33%). Seven percent even considered sep

A new home presents an opportunity to make it your own. According to the 2018 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study*, more than a quarter of homeowners remodelled their kitchen to personalize a recent purchase (28%). An even greater share of homeowners in urban centers agree (34%), compared to those in rural and suburban areas (28% and 27%, respectively). That said, kitchen projects are also triggered by homeowners who can no longer stand their old kitchen (41%) and those who wanted to

Given the popularity of photos and stories related to small spaces on Houzz, we surveyed our community* to find out how people living in small homes use creative decor and storage options to make their homes feel more spacious. Considering that the two most popular characteristics of small home interiors are lots of natural light (57%) and easy access to the outdoors (54%), it seems homeowners incorporate external factors into their design decisions to give their homes a brig

This quarter, the Houzz Renovation Barometer, which tracks confidence in the home renovation market among industry professionals, gathered information specific to business conditions in the Houston metropolitan area and Southwestern Florida following the severe impact of hurricanes Harvey and Irma in these areas.* The hurricanes had an immediate effect on renovation-related businesses, with 28% in the Houston metro area and 41% in Southwestern Florida reporting that they susp

Master bathrooms are getting a style makeover, according to the 2017 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study,* which found that 90% of renovating homeowners change the style of their master bathroom during upgrades. Of those making a change to the overall style, contemporary (25%), transitional (17%) and modern (15%) lead in popularity. Design decisions vary by generation, with Millennial (25-34) homeowners opting most often for modern style master bathrooms, while contemporary is m

With kids heading back to school, we surveyed* the Houzz community on how they design their kids’ rooms and tackle child-related home design challenges. More than two-thirds of respondents said their kids’ rooms have a decor theme (69%). Of those, a nature theme lead the pack (30%), followed by animals (23%), sports (17%) and princesses (15%). Other notable themes include nautical, superheroes and geometric patterns. Colors are another form of expression, with more than half

The Houzz Renovation Barometer, which tracks confidence in the home renovation market among industry professionals, has shown strong quarter-over-quarter confidence for all sectors for the last 10 quarters. With firms in high demand, we dug into the impact on renovation timelines. This week, we introduced the Houzz Renovation Barometer Backlog Index, which shows the number of weeks before an average firm can start work on a new mid-sized home renovation or design project give

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we asked more than 1,500 moms what they really want for Mother’s Day and many of the responses centered on the home, from their preferred place to celebrate to the type of gift they hope to receive. In fact, the majority of moms say they’d like to stay home for Mother’s Day (53%), while going out is a distant second (28%). Of those interested in staying at home, the most popular request is to enjoy a meal with the family, cooked by so

The saying, ‘put your best foot forward,’ is certainly ringing true with nearly half of landscaping projects focused on the front yard (44%), according to our 2017 U.S. Landscaping Trends Study. The survey of nearly 1,000 U.S. homeowners who are planning, in the midst of, or recently completed an outdoor project, found that these new looks are being driven by environmentally conscious decisions, pressures from a homeowners association and the desire to personalize a new home.

As we saw from the viral video of Professor Robert Kelly—whose daughter hilariously danced her way into his TV broadcast interview—creating a space to productively work from home requires a number of thoughtful considerations. Houzz conducted a series of polls with more than 900 responses from our community of homeowners and home pros to find out what makes for the perfect working from home space, as well as top challenges to skipping the office. From converted linen closets,

According to most leading industry trackers, the home improvement industry has surpassed its prerecession peak in 2016 and is on track to continue its expansion in 2017.1 These trends are born out in our 2017 Houzz State of the Industry study, where a third or more of businesses on Houzz report that 2016 was the best year in the last 10 years since the 2007 financial crisis and two thirds report that 2016 was an above average year. Revenue continued to grow at an average rate

A new kitchen might do more for your home than you think. A third of respondents in our U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study of more than 2,700 U.S. homeowners using Houzz who are in the midst of, are planning or recently completed a kitchen renovation project, said that they are leading healthier lifestyles after their kitchen renovation. Forty-one percent said they cook more meals at home (three-quarters cook five or more meals at home each week after renovating!) and 34% said t

What’s in store for holiday decorating this year? A survey of U.S. Houzzers found that one in six holiday decorators plan to go “over the top” (16%). Another 60% describe their décor style as “festive” and 22% take a “minimalist” approach. Making things merry and bright doesn’t mean breaking the bank, however. The majority of holiday decorators plan to spend less than $50 on new items this year. Holiday décor isn’t just about seasonal sprucing. Sixty percent of survey respond

As homeowners renovate their homes, nearly half are using the project as an opportunity to integrate “smart” technology, as revealed in our recent 2016 Houzz Smart Home Trends Survey. The driving factors behind the installation of smart tech – systems or devices that can be monitored or controlled via smartphone, tablet or computer – vary depending on the type of technology. Let’s take a closer look at the primary motivations behind smart security/safety, climate control, lig

Do you and your partner compete for counter space in your master bathroom each morning? You’re not alone. The 2016 Houzz Bathroom Trends Survey found that most homeowners renovating their master bathrooms share that room with a partner (75%). And nearly 40% of master bathroom renovators cite a space that is “easy for more than one person to be in” as the top functional aspect of their upgraded rooms. Given this, many master bathroom renovators are investing to create luxuriou

Residential remodeling firms report widespread confidence in quarter-over-quarter market gains, according to the Q2 2016 Houzz Renovation Barometer released this week. The Barometer tracks confidence in the home renovation market among industry professionals including architects, designers, general contractors (GCs)/remodelers, design-build firms, building/renovation specialists and landscaping/outdoor specialists. While Barometer readings remain strong among the six industry

Residential remodeling firms across the country report strong confidence in the health of the industry, according to the Q1 2016 Houzz Renovation Barometer released this week. While the majority of firms overall are optimistic in year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter market improvements, some regions are more confident than others – and some are being hit especially hard by current industry challenges. The Q1 Barometer readings indicate high quarter-over-quarter confidence