Home prices keep going up, and you may not have time or desire to wait for them to start coming down before you jump into a renovation to have the home you want or need now.
A recent survey by Houzz, a home remodeling and design website you should look at if you are planning a renovation (loads of ideas), asked 20,000 homeowners across the U.S. 9 questions about their renovations and here are the answers.
$10,000
$20,000
$35,000
$50,000
Cash from a home sale
Home loans
Credit Card
Savings
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
$100,000
$140,000
$175,000
$200,000
Baby Boomers
Generation X
Millennials
Generation Z
Bedrooms
Bathrooms
Home Offices
Dining Rooms
Pergolas/Gazebos
Sheds
Decks
Kitchens
Having the money
Wanting to sell their home
Deciding not to purchase another home
Having the time
15%
32%
45%
61%

Answer: Homeowners used several forms of payment, but most - 84% - used money in their savings to cover costs.
Answer: A trick question! Homeowners spent the same amount on renovations in 2023 and 2024 - a median of $24,000.
Answer: This answer might have been easy to guess if you know much about homeownership rates amongst generations and that many older Americans are opting to stay put rather than downsize. Baby Boomers accounted for 59% of homeowner renovation spend, followed by Generation Z at 29%.
Answer: Money always seems like the main reason someone can take on a renovation, but surprisingly, 40% of homeowners said finally having enough time was why they took on a project in 2024. Money came in a close second at 35%.
Answer: Three out of five (61%) homeowners who renovated last year said they plan to stay in their homes for at least 10 more years. Given that Baby Boomers were the most renovating generation and the trend is for them to stay put, this isn't a surprising result.
How did you do? Are you planning a renovation for 2025 or 2026? Some experts say the uncertainty of tariffs will take a bite out of renovation plans for the near future. Job uncertainty may also have an impact, and while market performance (S&P down 12.5% so far this year) has seen a recent surge, its recovery may also take renovations off the table for the time being.
Sources: RTD, Philadelphia Inquirer, Houzz.com