Inside Houzz
Renovation Barometer
Industry Research
Shorter Wait Times to Start a Remodeling Project
The Q1 2019 Houzz Renovation Barometer shows that wait times to hire construction firms have dropped from a year ago
If you’re looking to hire a construction firm for your remodel, you may be pleased to learn that wait times are down by 1.7 weeks nationally compared with this time last year. The wait time to hire a U.S. construction firm for a midsize renovation project is now an average of 4.8 weeks, according to the Q1 2019 Houzz Renovation Barometer.
The Barometer tracks residential renovation market expectations, project wait times and recent business activity based on the responses of more than 2,200 U.S. small businesses on Houzz. Read on to learn about project wait times in your part of the country.
The Barometer tracks residential renovation market expectations, project wait times and recent business activity based on the responses of more than 2,200 U.S. small businesses on Houzz. Read on to learn about project wait times in your part of the country.
Construction firm wait times average 4.8 weeks. This graph shows the average backlogs — which are the wait times before a firm can take on a new client’s midsize project — for three types of construction firms. For the first three months of 2019, build-only remodelers have the longest average wait times: 7.5 weeks. Specialty trade contractors, such as those that do masonry, painting or electrical work, have the shortest project wait times, at 3.1 weeks. Wait times for design-and-build remodelers are 6 weeks.
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Architectural and design firm wait times are under 5 weeks. Architects and interior designers report similar wait times to take on a new midsize project in the first three months of 2019: 4.7 weeks and 4.8 weeks, respectively.
Of course, project wait times will vary not only by the type of firm you’re looking to hire, but by market conditions in your region, as well as the specific conditions in your city.
Find an architect or interior designer near you
Of course, project wait times will vary not only by the type of firm you’re looking to hire, but by market conditions in your region, as well as the specific conditions in your city.
Find an architect or interior designer near you
Construction Firm Wait Times Longest in New England
Wait times for construction firms to take on a client’s new midsize project are longest in New England (5.7 weeks) and shortest in the West South Central region of the U.S. (3.8 weeks) as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
New England includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The West South Central division includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
Wait times for construction firms to take on a client’s new midsize project are longest in New England (5.7 weeks) and shortest in the West South Central region of the U.S. (3.8 weeks) as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
New England includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The West South Central division includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
Architectural and Design Firm Wait Times Are Shortest in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast
Wait times for architectural and design firms to take on a client’s new midsize project are longest in New England and the Mountain regions of the U.S. (5.1 weeks each). The Mountain division includes Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Wait times are shortest in the Mid-Atlantic, East South Central, and South Atlantic regions of the U.S. (4.6 weeks each) as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Mid-Atlantic division includes New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The East South Central division includes Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee. The South Atlantic division includes Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, the District of Columbia and West Virginia.
Wait times for architectural and design firms to take on a client’s new midsize project are longest in New England and the Mountain regions of the U.S. (5.1 weeks each). The Mountain division includes Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Wait times are shortest in the Mid-Atlantic, East South Central, and South Atlantic regions of the U.S. (4.6 weeks each) as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Mid-Atlantic division includes New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The East South Central division includes Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee. The South Atlantic division includes Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, the District of Columbia and West Virginia.
Long wait times have been an ongoing problem for new clients of building and remodeling firms amid a strong renovation market. And the fact that building firms face a shortage of qualified workers hasn’t helped. But the Q1 2019 Houzz Renovation Barometer indicates some easing, at least for clients looking to hire construction firms.