The National Green Building Standard (NGBS) Green Remodeling Certification, administered by Home Innovation Research Labs, offers a structured pathway for homeowners and builders to integrate sustainable practices into residential renovation projects. This certification emphasizes improvements in energy and water efficiency, aiming to reduce environmental impact while enhancing home comfort and durability. The program accommodates a range of project scopes, from minor updates to comprehensive renovations, across various residential structures, including single-family homes, townhouses, and multifamily buildings. Certification levels—Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Emerald—are awarded based on the extent of green practices…
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2025 Remodeling Impact Report Highlights Homeowner Satisfaction and Cost Recovery
The 2025 Remodeling Impact Report, released by the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), reveals that homeowners derive the most satisfaction from adding a primary bedroom suite, upgrading the kitchen, and installing new roofing—each earning a perfect Joy Score of 10. In terms of cost recovery, replacing a steel front door offers the highest return at 100%, followed by closet renovations at 83% and new fiberglass front doors at 80%. These findings underscore the value homeowners place on both personal enjoyment and…
Read MoreRemodeling Market Sentiment Down in the First Quarter
Despite a five-point decline in the first quarter of 2025, the NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) remains in positive territory at 63, indicating that more remodelers view market conditions as good than poor. Rising homeowner equity and limited opportunities to move into other homes continue to support the home improvement market and keep remodeler sentiment positive. Notably, small remodeling projects under $20,000 maintained a strong index score of 76, reflecting steady demand in this segment. “Rising homeowner equity and limited opportunities to move into other homes is still supporting…
Read MoreWhere do builders and remodelers buy building products?
According to recent NAHB surveys, specialty retailers, lumber yards, and wholesale distributors are the primary sources for building products, collectively accounting for about 70% of purchases by both builders and remodelers. Lumber yards are particularly favored for structural materials like plywood, sawn lumber, and engineered wood products. Notably, remodelers are three times more likely than builders to shop at home improvement centers, especially for hand and power tools, which are commonly purchased by both groups at these outlets. NAHB explains one major difference between builders and remodelers was the share…
Read MoreRemodel of the Week: “Heirloom Harmony: A Serene Sanctuary in Bucks County”
Irwin Build’s award-winning transformation of a 6,000-square-foot home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, earned top honors in the 2025 National Remodeler of the Year Awards for the Entire House $750,000 to $1,000,000 category. The renovation celebrates timeless elegance by blending heirloom pieces with a warm, natural palette of taupes, creams, and soft earth tones—creating a space that feels both elevated and inviting. Expansive windows bathe the interior in natural light, highlighting curated artwork and offering tranquil views of the surrounding landscape. Every detail of the home was thoughtfully designed to balance…
Read MoreTop Remodeling Projects for Homeowner Satisfaction and Cost Recovery
The 2025 Remodeling Impact Report by the National Association of Realtors® and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry highlights that homeowners derive the most satisfaction from projects like adding a primary bedroom suite, upgrading the kitchen, and installing new roofing, each earning a perfect Joy Score of 10. In terms of cost recovery, replacing a steel front door offers the highest return at 100%, followed by closet renovations at 83% and new fiberglass front doors at 80%. While personal satisfaction drives many remodeling decisions, Realtors® often recommend projects such…
Read MoreU.S. Economy Added 228,000 Jobs in March
The United States job market accelerated unexpectedly in March, while the figures for January and February were revised downward substantially. The unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.2% in March, compared to the previous month’s 4.1%. This month’s jobs report highlights the continued resilience of the labor market despite sticky inflation, a drop in consumer confidence, mass federal government layoffs and growing economic uncertainty. According to Eye On Housing, Noticeably, residential construction employment has shown signs of weakness in recent months. In March, the six-month moving average of job gains for residential…
Read More70s Kit-Kat Bathroom Tile Trend is Back, Set to be the Biggest Trend in 2025
Currently taking the internet by storm are kit-kat tiles. All the rage in the 70s, these slim and vertical tiles look a lot like a certain candy bar, and are now set to be one of the biggest bathroom trends for 2025. According to House Digest, But kit-kat tiles today are less about a nostalgic throwback and more about clean lines and texture. They work especially well in small spaces, like powder rooms or showers, where the vertical effect draws the eye up to make the space feel bigger. While white is always…
Read MoreSec. Rollins Announces Sweeping Reforms to Protect National Forests and Boost Domestic Timber Production
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a Secretarial Memo establishing an “Emergency Situation Determination” on 112,646,000 acres of National Forestry System (NFS) land. This Memo comes on the heels of President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order to expand American timber production by 25%, empowering the U.S. Forest Service to expedite work on the ground and carry out authorized emergency actions to reduce wildfire risk and save American lives and communities. “Healthy forests require work, and right now, we’re facing a national forest emergency. We have an abundance of timber…
Read MoreAging Housing Stock Signals Future Remodeling Market Growth
Around 48% of the United States housing stock dates back to the 1980s and earlier. The median age of owner-occupied homes has rose to 41 years in 2023, up from 31 years in 2005, according to the latest data from the American Community Survey. The U.S. owner-occupied housing stock has aged rapidly particularly, particularly since the Great Recession, as the residential construction continues to fall behind in delivering new homes. According to Eye On Housing, Currently, new home construction faces headwinds such as rising material costs, persistent labor shortage and elevated…
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