July 15, 2019
Survey Says: 2019 Data Shows Re-Piping Evolution as PE-RT Piping Gains Traction
In a 2016 Trend post, we reported a brisk change underway in the home re-piping market. At that time, CPVC occupied the dominant position, and PEX was in third and gaining ground rapidly; this mirrored the rapid ascent of PEX in the new home piping market from a decade earlier. With the 2019 Consumer Practices Survey (CPS) now complete, we have seen that market continues to evolve in favor of PEX. But there’s also a new material in the mix — PE-RT, or raised-temperature polyethylene, is beginning to make a measurable impact.
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June 19, 2019
Insulation Choices Revealed in New Study
Home Innovation’s 2019 Annual Builder Practices Survey of home builders had more than 1,600 participants this year, completing the detailed questionnaire on the homes they built in 2018. This study helps us track – and predict – trends in the popularity of home styles, features and materials used.
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June 6, 2019
Trends & Opportunities for Plastic Profile Materials in Residential Construction
Presenting earlier this week at AMI’s 2019 Profiles Conference in Pittsburgh, Home Innovation’s Director of Market Research Ed Hudson spoke about some of the big changes happening in the home construction and remodeling industries as they relate to plastics. Specifically, he covered trends happening in Windows & Patio Doors, Roofing, Siding & Exterior Finishes, Exterior Trim & Fascia, Decks & Railing Systems, and Fences & Privacy Walls. Ed’s insights are based on data from our Annual Builder and Consumer Practices Surveys, as well as his own decades-long analysis of industry trends.
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May 17, 2019
Home Size Declines with Robust Return of Starter Home Market
Home Innovation’s recent 2019 Builder Practices Survey of 1,500+ U.S. home builders confirms what the U.S. Census has been reporting in recent months—the average new home size is declining. For the second time in a decade, the average home size paused its upward climb for at least a couple years of descent.
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May 3, 2019
Age is Just a Number, Even with Houses
It seems logical to assume that older houses—with more wear and tear, longer exposure to weather, and functionally obsolete features—are more likely to be remodeled or upgraded than newer homes. So, following that logic, owners of “elderly” homes should be better targets for selling home improvement products and upgrades, right? Not necessarily. Applying this age-old assumption blindly across all product categories can lead to lost opportunities for selling remodeling products and services to owners of newer homes.
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April 26, 2019
Survey Says: Home Remodeling “Going Pro”
With the 2019 NFL draft underway, your favorite college football players are not the only ones “going pro” this year. Based on this year’s 2019 Consumer Practices Survey data, it appears fewer home remodeling projects are do-it-yourself, and more are being done by professionals. For example, nearly 90% of roofing installed on existing residential properties is now done by a professional; just five years ago that number was less than 80%.
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April 23, 2019
The Force is Strong with Re-Roofing Market, 2019 Remodeling Study Says
The U.S. home re-roofing market is a behemoth—covering about 13 billion square feet of residential roof area each year. An above-average 2018 storm season in the United States ensured an above-average number of roofing replacements based on the initial findings from the 2019 Consumer Practices Survey.
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March 22, 2019
Predicting a Place for Plastics in the Construction Industry
Presenting this week at the Society of Plastics Engineers’ 2019 ANTEC Conference in Detroit, Home Innovation’s Director of Market Research Ed Hudson spoke about opportunities for building materials manufacturers, particularly focused on plastics materials, based on major changes happening in the residential construction industry. Ed’s insights are based on data from our Annual Builder and Consumer Practices Surveys, as well as his own decades-long analysis of industry trends.
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December 28, 2018
The Who, Where & When of Off-Site Construction Technologies
A couple weeks ago, we first posted the findings of a December survey of 300 builders regarding their attitudes towards numerous off-site housing technologies. Specifically, we asked if they plan to increase their use of any of these systems within the coming year and anticipate increasing their use in the coming 5 years. The findings helped us gauge the rate at which builders intend to pursue various off-site alternatives. For industry suppliers, knowing your potential markets is crucial for developing successful market entry and expansion strategies.
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December 14, 2018
December Survey of Builders Reveals Quickening Pace in Transitioning to Off-Site Construction Solutions
Off-site construction. We’ve all heard the buzz about builders moving to this “new” way of building, especially in light of the current skilled trade deficit in our industry. But what are home builders actually planning to do about it this year? Or even in the next five years? There are a lot of contenders in the off-site space, but where is the market actually headed?
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