What Would You Do For… a Professional Remodeling Project?

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) recently released an interesting report on what consumers will give up so they can hire a professional remodeler, rather than embarking on a do-it-yourself project. With the improvement in the remodeling industry coming from pent-up demand and people finally moving on projects they’d been considering for months, we aren’t surprised that people prefer to hire professionals. The twist is what they’d give up to make it happen. We always try to pinpoint why the customer is spending their treasure and what they are expecting from that expenditure. Some of these sacrifices would truly take some exploration.

According to the survey, 56 percent of Americans surveyed said they would stay off social media for a year. Another 36 percent would give up watching their favorite sporting events, and 35 percent would stop eating out. About 23 percent would give up their workplace vacation days. With the outsourcing of work, comes work for the consumer – to find the right match for them from among custom remodeling contractors. Respondents to the survey find this phase of the project distasteful to the point that 24 percent of homeowners would rather sit in traffic than go through the time and effort involved in finding the remodeler. Twenty-one percent would prefer to wait in line at the DMV, and 20 percent would rather go to the dentist!

The process doesn’t have to be so painful. If perception is reality, then we, as remodelers, need to change that perception. As a consumer, if you know what you want and you can communicate it clearly, the hiring process should be relatively easy. You’re in the driver’s seat. Ask the right questions, require the right documentation, and make a decision based on the facts and the potential for a great relationship. You already know you’ll get a much better outcome for your project by using a professional builder.

So, what would you do for a professional remodeling job??