The national average of remodels across the U.S. is $149,470. For residential contractors the price of labor, building materials and complexity of the project all factor into the end result. Oklahoma is 32.9% below the national average for remodeling, with an average of $100,114. While this is attractive for clients, it could also indicate that profit margins are tighter for remodelers. Large projects such as home additions in the state average at $5,889. Following Oklahoma, Arkansas’s average is $104,634, 29.9% below the national average. A home addition averages at $6,155.…
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Building material price rises at end of year
According to the latest Producer Price Index release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, residential building material prices continued to show growth. Price growth averages above 3.0%, despite concerns in the remodeling and new residential construction market. Across building materials, metal products experienced price increases. However, ready-mix concrete and softwood lumber declined throughout 2025. “The largest year-over-year price increases continue to show in metal products. Topping the list in November was metal molding and trim, with prices up 48.2% from last year. Two key inputs, ready-mix concrete and softwood lumber,…
Read MoreABC Green Home Launches TerraVerde: The Next Phase of Its Nationally Recognized High-Performance Home Program
Newport Beach, Calif., Jan. 13, 2026 — Builder Media announced today the launch of ABC Green Home 5.0: TerraVerde, the next phase of its nationally recognized residential demonstration home program. The two-year initiative will culminate in the construction of a luxury, high-performance residence in Temecula, a Southern California market known for its concentration of custom homes and a rapidly growing production homebuilding sector. Since its inception more than a decade ago, the ABC Green Home program is established as a verified performance benchmark for American residential construction. Across the program’s series, ABC Green Homes…
Read MoreWhat mortgage rates mean for the remodeling industry
Despite mortgage rates continually dropping throughout 2025, much of the market is looking to upgrade their current spaces rather than moving. Consumers shifting their focus mean that remodelers must be ready to tap into the current market moment. Advisory from Daniels Design & Remodeling is clear guidance to their clients on why remodeling is the right move for them. This form of conversation to clients before they even make a phone call sets remodelers up for a productive conversation. Their expertise allows for expectations to be set, like on terms…
Read MoreThe Remodeling Labor Market
The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) released a study on the role immigrant labor plays on the remodeling industry. While immigrants account for an estimated one in five workers nationally,in the construction trades they represent about one in three workers. With the recent tightening of immigration laws, standards and work permits the team at JCHS predicts this could potentially strain the building and remodeling labor market. This is especially true in large metro areas. Their research shows that in the seven metros that issued at least 150,000 building…
Read MoreRemodel of the Week: Alder House
SHED Architecture reimagines a 1990s home with passive building techniques and contemporary style. Located in Seattle, Wash., the 2,820-square-foot project planned for a deeper immersion with its ecological surroundings. SHED worked in collaboration with Thomas Jacobson Construction, structural engineer Swenson Say Fagét and energy modeling from Atvaga Building Modeling for this project. Modernizing the building required the reconfiguration of living spaces. This includes opening up the kitchen to the other living spaces and expanding the square footage by 20 feet. This transformed the home’s livability. On the exterior the cornice was replaced with…
Read MoreTariffs on Furniture and Kitchen Cabinets Delayed
Projected to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, the White House announced the delay of tariffs on furniture and kitchen cabinets. In October, the White House imposed a 25% tariff on kitchen cabinets, furniture and vanities with a planned increase in January of furniture to 30% and 50% of kitchen cabinet and vanity levies. By invoking Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Act) this move extends potential increases in tariffs for upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities for another year. A White House fact sheet stated, “The…
Read MoreFed’s rate cut boosts existing construction projects
Contractors are cautiously optimistic after the Federal Reserve delivered its third interest-rate cut of 2025, lowering its benchmark rate by another 25 basis points. The move reinforces a gradual easing trend that developers hope will reduce borrowing costs as 2026 approaches. Industry leaders say the cut boosts confidence and supports projects already in planning, but it is not large enough to immediately spur a wave of new nonresidential construction starts. While planning activity dipped slightly in November, it remains significantly higher than last year, suggesting continued momentum even as financing…
Read MoreWhen will housing prices drop?
New data from Realtor.com shows the U.S. housing market is cooling, with homes staying on the market longer and prices softening in many areas. In November 2025, the typical home spent 64 days for sale, three days longer than a year earlier and nine days longer than in 2022. Price trends vary by location, but nationally there are clear signs of easing: annual price declines were recorded in 28 of the 50 largest metro areas, while six others saw flat prices. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the median home price…
Read More5 home renovation trends that Interior Designers are ditching in 2026
As 2026 approaches, interior designers are urging homeowners to rethink certain once-popular renovation trends that are now falling out of favor. Experts Jennifer Cataldo, Tennille Burnup and Alyssa Anselmo say flat, builder-grade drywall is being replaced by textured, handcrafted wall finishes like limewash and Venetian plaster, which add warmth and dimension. Waterfall kitchen islands, long seen as a modern luxury statement, are also losing appeal in favor of more custom, inviting designs that mix materials, incorporate furniture-style bases and emphasize subtlety over flash. Light blonde oak is giving way to…
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