Over the past six months, Design Build Planners has seen first hand a very strong home renovation market throughout New Jersey and the United States. Even more exciting than that, every indication points to our industry continuing to grow throughout 2015 and beyond.
In New Jersey and through our national remodeling network, we are seeing that homeowners are committing to projects that are both larger in scope and discretionary in nature.
Contrary to some of the commitment-phobia we have seen over the past few years, homeowners are now looking to improve their homes in a big way. We have noticed a shift from mostly need to have projects to want to have projects. A few years ago, the majority of homeowners were remodeling failing bathrooms and kitchens. Now, those same homeowners are committing to luxury projects such as finished basement and attics, outdoor living areas, and add-ons such as wine rooms and home theaters.
A perfect example is a homeowner in NJ who is finally in the process of designing and remodeling his home with Design Build Planners. After letting some of his ideas brew for the past few years, Richard and his family are undergoing nearly a whole home transformation, including:
- Finishing a basement
- Adding a patio and outdoor entertaining area
- Finishing a walk-up attic
- Adding a sunroom
- Extending a bedroom
- A full bathroom remodel
Neil just left my house after providing us our first draft plans. One word, Wow. We are so happy with this entire experience, including of course our actual designs. I have no idea how one would go about starting a new project without the expert assistance of Neil and crew. If you are having doubts about using these guys, don’t. Its money well spent. ~ Richard, NJ
Read the whole review on our Houzz page.
Supporting this positive home renovation trend is the 2015 Houzz Barometer Report that was recently released. Houzz surveyed its professional members in the US and received a record 5,100 replies. Notable trends among the replies include:
- 2014 was a year of healthy high single and double-digit revenue growth
- The economic recovery reached smaller firms as well as larger firms (an indication of a robust recovery)
- The vast majority of professionals are confident about 2015 and expect increased revenues
- Concerns among professionals include qualified labor shortage, most price-conscious homeowners, and the uncertain world economic and political climate
The report also highlights that a majority of project designers, builders, and remodelers reported an increase in both the number of projects and project scale.
Additionally, over half of firms reported an improvement in proposal-to-business conversion rate, which suggests that homeowners have fewer hesitations about committing to larger projects and spending their hard-earned money.
Read the full 2015 US Houzz Barometer Highlights Report
Houzz continues to be a valuable resource for homeowners planning a remodeling project. It is exciting to be a part of a strengthening industry and have the opportunity to help an increasing number of homeowners transform their homes.
If you have questions for the Design Build Planners about your next project, we invite you to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation phone call to gain some insight on various remodeling projects and learn more about the benefits of the Design Build Planners unique home remodeling design process.