Every quarter, the Houzz research team surveys pros like you to find out real-world info on business activity and much more. More than 10 years of conducting Renovation Barometer research has given us a significant understanding of industry trends, and you can check out our insights in video as well as written form. This video covers recent and expected business activity plus average project wait times for two reporting groups in this sector of the industry — architectural and design services — for the third quarter of 2024. Below, we share a sneak peek.

The Q3 2024 U.S. Houzz Renovation Barometer was fielded from June 29 through July 9, 2024, and garnered responses from 240 architects and 456 interior designers on Houzz (n=696 in the architectural and design services sector). See the detailed methodology here.    

Recent Business Activity

The Recent Business Activity Indicator for the architectural and design services industry tracks actual business activity — project inquiries and new committed projects — in the most recent quarter. For this Q3 2024 report, the indicator covered activity in Q2 2024. 

Both groups reported “widespread improvements” in business activity, Houzz chief economist Marine Sargsyan says. To see the exact score increases by activity category and industry group type, check out the video.

Project Backlogs

This info is based on survey questions that ask businesses to report wait times (in weeks) to start work on a midsize project. And again, at the start of Q3 the trend is positive, with shorter wait time averages nationwide. 

However, project backlogs aren’t the same for the architectural and design services sectors; backlogs also vary significantly by geographic location. In one region, for example, the average wait time for both sectors taken together is one-third of what it is for another region. Find out the average for your region and compare it to the national average by seeing all the specifics in the video.

You’ll also find out whether or not project backlogs have normalized to pre-pandemic levels. 

Expected Business Activity

The Expected Business Activity Indicator is based on pros’ projections for project inquiries and new committed projects in the current quarter. For Q3 2024, pros in both remodeling groups expect improvements overall compared with Q2. Find out their exact level of optimism by category and group — as well as the overall health of the industry and what ongoing challenges are currently top of mind — by watching the full video.

Read more about the Q3 2024 Houzz Renovation Barometer for architects and designers

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