Bathrooms Top Kitchens as Most Popular Remodeling Projects

The kitchen is king when it comes to making an impact on a home’s identity. Few other spaces in a home can even come close to the significance of the kitchen—making it truly the “heart of the home.”

But having a beautiful bathroom is just as, if not more important for many home owners. In fact, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), bathrooms overtook kitchens as the most popular remodeling project.

Earlier this year, NAHB released the survey results, which rank the most common remodeling projects from the previous year. While many of the top projects have remained consistently popular over the years, kitchens and bathrooms continue to jockey for the top spot.

“Small-scale renovations are slowly becoming just as popular as large-scale projects, as seen with bathroom remodeling becoming more common than kitchens,” said 2018 NAHB Remodelers Chair Joanne Theunissen, CPG, CGR, a remodeler from Mt. Pleasant, Mich. “Home owners are finding cost-effective and shorter-timeframe upgrades not only add comfort to their homes, but they also add value.” Topping the List

Among the remodelers who participated in the survey regarding the projects they completed within the last year:

• 81% did bathroom remodeling

• 78% did kitchen remodeling

• 49% did whole house remodeling

• 37% did room additions

• 30% did window/door replacements

Rounding out the top 10 list of common remodeling jobs were: building decks, repairing property damage, finishing basements, performing general handyman services, and replacing or repairing roofs.

Going ‘Green’ is Key

While remodeling is commonly associated with kitchens and baths, demand for green upgrades continues to swell as home owners seek to save on utility costs, improve air quality and increase the value of their homes.

An additional survey by NAHB Remodelers showed that highperforming, lowemissivity (Low-E) windows are the most common green-building product installed by residential remodelers. Programmable thermostats and highefficiency HVAC systems also ranked highly among the most common green products used.

Home remodeling projects continue to be a popular alternative for those who aren’t yet ready to buy a new home, as well as for senior home owners who prefer to stay in their current home. For these consumers, there are a wide variety of modifications that came make their home safer and more comfortable.

The possibilities you have to remodel your home are endless. Contact the NCBIA to find a qualified professional in your area who can enhance your home’s unique features.

Visit our remodeled website – ncbia.com for a list of our reputable and dependable members, as well as our new For Consumer section and job posting (under the About Us tab). To learn more about job opportunities in our area, visit contact the NCBIA. Or, give us a call Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 440-934-1090. We have the ONLY LIST YOU WILL EVER NEED. Come build with us!

Jeff Hensley