How Demand for Home Professionals has Risen Following Lockdown
Homeowners are focusing on big renovations, gardens and flooring as demand for professionals grew by 102% in August
Professionals on Houzz benefited from a growth in demand in August following the easing of lockdown, which saw many people spending more time at home. Design and renovation pros received 102% more project leads this August than they did in the same month in 2019.
During the spring and summer, people spent time re-evaluating their spaces, while Houzz made changes to the platform to help homeowners find and connect with the right professionals for their projects.
Read on to find out which type of professionals homeowners are searching for most on Houzz, as well as the areas that are seeing the most demand.
During the spring and summer, people spent time re-evaluating their spaces, while Houzz made changes to the platform to help homeowners find and connect with the right professionals for their projects.
Read on to find out which type of professionals homeowners are searching for most on Houzz, as well as the areas that are seeing the most demand.
“There’s an incredible rise in consumer interest for home improvement projects across the country, and people are coming to Houzz to find professionals for major projects, such as home extensions and kitchen renovations, as well as for more modest outdoor improvements,” Ines Cid, managing director for Houzz UK & Ireland, says.
“Over the past year, we’ve made many significant additions and improvements to how our platform helps homeowners find and connect with the right professional for their project – enabling people to directly schedule video meetings with pros through Houzz Pro is just one example – and we’re really seeing the impact of those investments in the number and quality of connections we’re making.”
“Over the past year, we’ve made many significant additions and improvements to how our platform helps homeowners find and connect with the right professional for their project – enabling people to directly schedule video meetings with pros through Houzz Pro is just one example – and we’re really seeing the impact of those investments in the number and quality of connections we’re making.”
Outside is in
People became increasingly appreciative of the outside during lockdown, and those lucky enough to have some outdoor space made the most of it.
As restrictions lifted, the focus on gardens continued, with landscape architects on Houzz seeing around a 220% year-on-year increase in leads this August. Landscape contractors were also popular, with homeowner leads jumping 370% compared to the same month last year.
It wasn’t just new garden designs that homeowners were planning, either. The landscape maintenance category on Houzz was boosted by a 1,300% year-on-year rise in homeowner leads during August 2020.
“Since lockdown, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in leads through Houzz for our garden design business,’ designer Paul Dracott says. “People have rediscovered the importance of outdoor space and how it can enrich modern life. The most popular requests are for outdoor eating and cooking areas, including pizza ovens, and also for fire pits to extend the use of the garden into the evenings.”
People became increasingly appreciative of the outside during lockdown, and those lucky enough to have some outdoor space made the most of it.
As restrictions lifted, the focus on gardens continued, with landscape architects on Houzz seeing around a 220% year-on-year increase in leads this August. Landscape contractors were also popular, with homeowner leads jumping 370% compared to the same month last year.
It wasn’t just new garden designs that homeowners were planning, either. The landscape maintenance category on Houzz was boosted by a 1,300% year-on-year rise in homeowner leads during August 2020.
“Since lockdown, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in leads through Houzz for our garden design business,’ designer Paul Dracott says. “People have rediscovered the importance of outdoor space and how it can enrich modern life. The most popular requests are for outdoor eating and cooking areas, including pizza ovens, and also for fire pits to extend the use of the garden into the evenings.”
Underfoot comfort is key
It seems that flooring was high on homeowners’ priorities during August. There was a 1,500% increase in leads for flooring installers during the month in comparison to August 2019, and a 370% year-on-year rise for carpet and flooring supplier leads.
Hard flooring such as wood and tiles are always in demand, but carpets saw the biggest rise in popularity this year, with carpet sales benefiting from a year-on-year increase of 1,700% during August.
It seems that flooring was high on homeowners’ priorities during August. There was a 1,500% increase in leads for flooring installers during the month in comparison to August 2019, and a 370% year-on-year rise for carpet and flooring supplier leads.
Hard flooring such as wood and tiles are always in demand, but carpets saw the biggest rise in popularity this year, with carpet sales benefiting from a year-on-year increase of 1,700% during August.
Demand grew across the UK
While the rise in homeowner leads was seen in most areas of the country in August, there were some places that grew more than others. Professionals in Surrey South, for example, enjoyed an increase in homeowner leads of nearly 210% compared to the same period in 2019.
Other boosted areas included Greater Manchester, with a rise of 140%, and Oxfordshire, with a year-on-year rise of 135% during August.
“Our business has increased tenfold since May, and I’m getting bigger and better-quality jobs,” says James McGuinness of Manchester and Merseyside-based JMC Decorators.
“I’ve noticed that people are being quite daring and aren’t afraid to express their personality, rather than going for trends,” he continues. “They’re inclined to spend on better-quality stuff, like wallcoverings, paint and skilled tradesmen.”
Further reading How to Ensure a Steady Flow of Clients.
While the rise in homeowner leads was seen in most areas of the country in August, there were some places that grew more than others. Professionals in Surrey South, for example, enjoyed an increase in homeowner leads of nearly 210% compared to the same period in 2019.
Other boosted areas included Greater Manchester, with a rise of 140%, and Oxfordshire, with a year-on-year rise of 135% during August.
“Our business has increased tenfold since May, and I’m getting bigger and better-quality jobs,” says James McGuinness of Manchester and Merseyside-based JMC Decorators.
“I’ve noticed that people are being quite daring and aren’t afraid to express their personality, rather than going for trends,” he continues. “They’re inclined to spend on better-quality stuff, like wallcoverings, paint and skilled tradesmen.”
Further reading How to Ensure a Steady Flow of Clients.
Tiles and worktops were popular
Demand for those surfaces often found in kitchens and bathrooms grew in August 2020 compared to the same time in 2019. The tile, stone and worktop category on Houzz saw a year-on-year rise in demand of 205%.
Tiles in particular were favoured, as demand grew by nearly 5,300% in August compared to the same month in 2019.
Jane Ive of Bathroom Design Studio saw a rise in demand for bathrooms in general. “I’ve had more Houzz enquiries through in the past few weeks, and enquiries in the showroom went crackers when lockdown eased in June,” she says.
“Even though I’m technically a ‘supply only’ business, I find most people come to me because they want an ‘installed’ project,” she adds. “I don’t employ fitters, but put customers in touch with ones I work with frequently. As it stands, the installers I work with are currently booking into February.”
Tell us…
Did you see a rise in demand this summer, and what types of projects are popular with your clients? Share your experiences in the Comments.
Demand for those surfaces often found in kitchens and bathrooms grew in August 2020 compared to the same time in 2019. The tile, stone and worktop category on Houzz saw a year-on-year rise in demand of 205%.
Tiles in particular were favoured, as demand grew by nearly 5,300% in August compared to the same month in 2019.
Jane Ive of Bathroom Design Studio saw a rise in demand for bathrooms in general. “I’ve had more Houzz enquiries through in the past few weeks, and enquiries in the showroom went crackers when lockdown eased in June,” she says.
“Even though I’m technically a ‘supply only’ business, I find most people come to me because they want an ‘installed’ project,” she adds. “I don’t employ fitters, but put customers in touch with ones I work with frequently. As it stands, the installers I work with are currently booking into February.”
Tell us…
Did you see a rise in demand this summer, and what types of projects are popular with your clients? Share your experiences in the Comments.
Demand for home extension professionals on Houzz grew in July, with a year-on-year rise of 330%, and this focus on big renovations continued into August.
The architectural design category saw an increase in demand of 706% in August compared with the same period last year.