Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Ecmweb 18121 Electrician Gettyimages 156762535
Ecmweb 18121 Electrician Gettyimages 156762535
Ecmweb 18121 Electrician Gettyimages 156762535
Ecmweb 18121 Electrician Gettyimages 156762535
Ecmweb 18121 Electrician Gettyimages 156762535

Study Sees Continued Strength in Remodeling Spending

April 20, 2018
Annual growth in homeowner spending on remodeling will remain above 7% throughout the year and into the first quarter of 2019

Annual growth in homeowner spending on remodeling will remain above 7% throughout the year and into the first quarter of 2019 according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

“Strengthening employment conditions and rising home values are encouraging homeowners to make greater investments in their homes,” says Chris Herbert, managing director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies. “Upward trends in retail sales of building materials and the growing number of remodeling permits indicate that homeowners are doing more—and larger—improvement projects.”

LIRA provides a short-term outlook of national home improvement and repair spending on owner-occupied homes. The indicator, measured as an annual rate-of-change of its components, is designed to project the annual rate of change in spending for the current quarter and subsequent four quarters, and is intended to help identify future turning points in the business cycle of the home improvement and repair industry. Originally developed in 2007, the LIRA was re-benchmarked in April 2016 to a broader market measure based on the biennial American Housing Survey.

 “While the overall outlook is positive, one area of concern is the slowing growth in sales of existing homes, since sales traditionally trigger significant renovation spending by both sellers and buyers,” says Abbe Will, Associate Project Director in the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center. “Even with this headwind, annual spending on residential improvements and repairs by homeowners is set to exceed $340 billion by early next year.”

More about the study: HOME REMODELING EXPECTED TO REMAIN STRONG AND STEADY INTO 2019

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EC&M, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Electrical Conduit Comparison Chart

CHAMPION FIBERGLASS electrical conduit is a lightweight, durable option that provides lasting savings when compared to other materials. Compare electrical conduit types including...

Fiberglass Electrical Conduit Chemical Resistance Chart

This information is provided solely as a guide since it is impossible to anticipate all individual site conditions. For specific applications which are not covered in this guide...

Considerations for Direct Burial Conduit

Installation type plays a key role in the type of conduit selected for electrical systems in industrial construction projects. Above ground, below ground, direct buried, encased...

How to Calculate Labor Costs

Most important to accurately estimating labor costs is knowing the approximate hours required for project completion. Learn how to calculate electrical labor cost.