Houzz India Survey Reveals Top Home Renovation Trends

Renovation activity driven by younger generations; Homeowners integrate smart technology

Bengaluru, 18th September 2019 – More than one third of homeowners on Houzz renovated
in 2018 (35 percent), at a median spend of ₹3,00,000, according to the annual Houzz & Home
India survey of more than 2,500 respondents in India. Millennials (ages 25 to 39) and Gen Xers
(ages 40-54) combined represent more than three quarters of the renovation activity (78
percent), at a median spend of ₹3,00,000 and ₹2,50,000, respectively. Similar to expectations
from previous years, 26 percent of homeowners planned to continue or begin renovations this
year, with 41 and 35 percent of Millennials and Gen Xers, respectively, anticipating new
projects.

Despite a number of headwinds for the global and national economy, renovation activity
continued to keep pace in 2018 and will likely experience growth in 2019,” said Sanjay
Nadkarni, Country Operations Manager, Houzz India. “Pent up demand continues to be the
biggest trigger for renovations today, as homeowners prefer to stay put and invest in the design
and functionality of their current home over moving to a different home. We are delighted to
share through Houzz & Home report these insights back with our community to give
homeowners greater confidence in the choices they make for their homes and provide pros with
additional insights on Indian homeowners’ preferences”, Mr Nadkarni added.

As homeowners consider whether to renovate their current home or to purchase a new home,
the top two considerations for renovations are to stay in their current home or area, significantly
outranking return on investment (42 and 36 percent, versus nine percent, respectively). Wanting
to stay in the current home or area are the biggest decision drivers for Gen Xers and Millennials,
whereas Baby Boomers (ages 55 to 74) chose to stay in their current home and renovate
because they want a personalized home that fits their vision.

Most Popular Rooms to Renovate

Homeowners tackle an average of three rooms per project, with more than one third of
homeowners renovating kitchens (33 percent). Living rooms, guest bathrooms, master
bathrooms and master bedrooms are also common projects (28, 27, 25 and 25 percent
respectively).

Funding Renovation Projects

The majority of renovation homeowners pay for their projects using cash from savings (81
percent), followed at a distance by credit cards that can be used anywhere (14 percent) and
loans from friends and family (eight percent).

Finding the Right Professional for the Job

A significant portion of homeowners hired a professional in 2018 (97 percent), with carpenters,
electricians and plumbers in greatest demand (81, 76 and 63 percent, respectively). Of all
generations, Gen Xers are the most likely to hire professional help, though the gap is
surprisingly narrow.

Making “Smart” Decisions

More than a quarter of homeowners prioritize smart technology during home renovations (29
percent), purchasing products like home assistants, streaming media players and thermostats.
Millennials are most likely to incorporate home assistants (26 percent), compared with Gen Xers
and Baby Boomers (12 and six percent, respectively).

Improving Energy Efficiency

While improving the design and functionality of a home are the top priorities during renovations,
more than half of homeowners prioritize energy efficiency (53 percent), replacing windows and
insulation, for example. This is particularly important for Gen Xers when compared to Millennials
and Baby Boomers (61 versus 50 and 45 percent, respectively).

The Final Touch

The majority of renovating homeowners in 2018 also decorated or furnished their home the
same year (72 percent). Millennials were significantly more likely to decorate following home
renovations than Baby Boomers (76 versus 58 percent), purchasing products such as curtains,
blinds and lamps.

The Houzz & Home Survey

The annual Houzz & Home survey is the largest survey of residential renovating, building and
decorating activity published. The survey covers a wide range of renovation projects in 2018,
from interior remodels and additions to home systems, exterior upgrades and outdoor projects.
Data gathered includes historical and planned spends, professional involvement, motivations
and challenges behind building, renovation and decorating projects, as well as planned activities
for 2019. The 2019 study includes more than 2,500 respondents in India alone, providing
insights into the home improvement activity of the more than 40 million monthly unique users of
the Houzz site and mobile apps.

The Houzz & Home Survey was sent to registered users of Houzz IN and fielded in April 2019.

The full report is available here.

Houzz has over 19 million photos of professionally designed interiors and exteriors, including
completed kitchen and bathroom projects, and more than 2.4 million active home renovation
and design professionals including architects, interior designers, home builders and design-build
firms.
About Houzz
Houzz is the leading platform for home renovation and design, providing people with everything
they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From
decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects
millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across
the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and
a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find
inspiration, get advice, find products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas
into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., Houzz also has international offices in London,
Berlin, Sydney, Moscow, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. Houzz is a registered trademark of Houzz Inc.
worldwide. For more information, visit houzz.in.

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