For centuries, the home improvement industry has been a fairly straightforward one, dealing with tangible objects and physical labor. Computers and digital technologies have rarely had a role in home remodeling projects.
That’s slowly changing, however, with a slew of new websites and social media platforms aiming to make the $300 billion home remodeling industry go digital during its renewed boom in business.
According to an April 27 NBC News article, an increasing number of home improvement professionals, from architects to plumbers and electricians, are relying on these websites in order to stay competitive in their ever-crowded field.
“Most of us got into this remodeling business because we love the smell of sawdust, we love design, we’re passionate about homes,” Bruce Case, president of Case Design/Remodeling, a Bethesda, Maryland-based firm, said. “Now we have to be experts in social media and all these other platforms.”
One such website, Porch, offers free reports to customers on homes they may be thinking about buying or renovating. Porch’s “Home Report” contains historical information on the home, including the type and cost of any home improvement projects that have been completed. Porch also offers an app that connects homeowners with a remodeling company or local professional in mere seconds.
Porch faces growing competition from similar home-improvement sites. Houzz, Porch’s main competitor, allows homeowners to create idea books of products and designs for their next home improvement project. The site also lets homeowners connect with home improvement professionals, and its online remodeling marketplace is valued at $2 billion.
As homeowners across the country continue to fix up their homes, the home improvement industry will continue to see the healthy growth it’s displayed over the last year. Sites like Porch, Houzz and others will only make it more convenient for people to get their home in top-top shape.
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