At the end of a long year, it’s always a good idea to take some time to reflect on your business and the remodeling industry. Consider all that you’ve seen change in the last year. It can help you better plan for the new year.

If you don’t know where to start, we can help. We’ve wrapped up some of the industry trends from 2017. See what contractors are experiencing across the nation!

Are you looking to generate more leads and win more jobs in the new year? Call us at 866-456-6977 to start receiving leads from homeowners in your area.

Remodeling & Renovation

This year proved to be good across the board for anyone in the remodeling industry. According to the annual Cost Vs. Value Report, one of the biggest projects homeowners were tackling was improving their curb appeal. This could mean an upgrade to their windows or fixing up their garage.

These projects helped to add livability to homes that suburban and urban homeowners weren’t quite ready to leave yet. According to the National Association Of Realtors, 55% of homeowners in suburbs and 52% of homeowners in urban areas said they would be interested in remodeling their home. At the top of the list were kitchen upgrades, bathroom remodeling and home additions.

For a deeper look, here are some of the popular projects of 2017.

Kitchen Remodeling

It’s no surprise that kitchen remodeling projects top the list in popularity. After all, it can certainly provide additional value to a home. According to our data, 34% of homeowners were ready to hire a pro and get their project started. Within these remodeling projects, the need to update countertops grew year over year, while less homeowners plan to update their appliances in comparison to last year.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are another hot project for homeowners but not too much has changed between 2016 and 2017. When it comes to hiring, 40% are ready to get their bathroom project started ASAP, similar to last year. Bathroom countertop remodeling has stayed consistent as a popular bathroom project as well as upgrading the bathroom floor, per our data.

Additions

Additions are a big project for a homeowner to take on and most often choose to have a contractor help. According to our data, there were slight increases in bathroom and kitchen additions, while there were declines in homeowners looking for living room additions, from 2016 to 2017. Even with the increased emphasis on creating greener homes, only half of homeowners are interested in hearing about eco-friendly remodeling options when asked. However, as trends point to more sustainable materials, expect for that number to rise.

Garages

If you’re a garage pro, the good news is that business has remained steady since 2015. There have been no major changes in garage remodeling projects. This is expected to continue into 2018 as well.

Basements

As more homeowners look to luxury basements, many are ready to start their remodeling project. According to our data, there was a 3% rise in homeowners who are ready to hire for their basement remodeling project from last year. Additionally, most are looking to add a bathroom or bedroom to their finished basement, as opposed to other options such as a game room or office.

Other Notable Trends

Outside of popular remodeling projects, we’ve been keeping up with industry trends all year. If you missed it, here are some of the trends we covered in 2017:

Solar Industry Trends: With green home initiatives coming to the forefront, installing electric solar panels became a very popular task.

Pool Industry Trends: While pools are seen as a luxury item for homeowners, many are taking it a step further and including smart technology with their installation.

Window & Door Industry Trends: There’s a lot that could change for the window and door industry, but that hasn’t stopped the movement of more homeowners wanting energy-saving features.

Painting Industry Trends: Popular paint colors change fast, so it’s no surprise that painting pros are busy through out the year.

Conclusion

As you look back at 2017, identify areas where your business has been successful and think about how you can move forward in the near year. Reflecting on this can help you make 2018 the best year yet for your business!

Beyond adapting to trends, getting more leads will certainly help you reach new heights in 2018. Fortunately, CraftJack can help. Give us a call at 866-456-6977 to get started.