The kitchen remains the heart of the home — and at the top of homeowners' remodel lists.
When the home services site Thumbtack asked owners about the improvement projects they'd like to tackle the most, half said they wanted to upgrade their kitchens.
Other projects topped the list, too:
- 44% of the respondents chose flooring
- 43% said a bathroom remodel
- 30% were eyeing closet alterations
- 24% earmarked for outdoor work
- 23% said they wanted to repaint walls or put up wallpaper.
But it's easy to procrastinate on a home improvement project.
There is the cost, of course. In today’s uncertain economic environment, cost remains a key factor, with the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University anticipating a slowdown in remodeling spending as homeowners cut back.
However, the Thumbtack survey pointed to additional reasons behind delays.
In the July 9 survey — which polled a nationwide sample of 1,046 adults — 30% of the respondents blamed the delay on a lack of time to manage a remodeling project. It was a concern for 40% of the Generation Z homeowners polled.
Perhaps because of their busy schedules, 22% of those surveyed said they didn’t plan ahead for projects. Instead, they tried to squeeze in the work whenever they could. Fifty-seven percent said they might be more open to renovating if they could complete the project over a weekend.
Some want to avoid the disruption
Twenty-six percent of respondents — including 35% of the millennials surveyed — said they put off work because they didn't want to inconvenience their families, and 24% decided against projects due to the “general disruption” they might cause, according to Thumbtack.
Some respondents worried about where they would live during the renovation process, with 23% saying they didn’t have an alternative place to stay.
These worries come as owners undertake remodeling projects that bring them joy, not just practical tweaks aimed at boosting their home’s resale value. In an April survey Thumbtack conducted, 84% of the respondents said they “prioritized projects that bring happiness over dollars,” even if they had plans to sell their home.