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Survey: Budget Is the Biggest Worry and Source of Frustration for Remodelers
A survey by Hausera also found client satisfaction is one of the most rewarding aspects of a project.
Staying on budget during a project is the top worry for nearly half of the kitchen and bath professionals who responded to the first annual Kitchen & Bath Design Professional Insights Survey from Hausera. The kitchen and bath specialty retailer commissioned the survey to identify key trends, including business outlook, motivators, and frustrations, among professionals.
Budget Is Both a Worry and a Source of Frustration
According to the survey, 45% of design professionals indicate staying on budget is the top worry, followed by "ensuring project quality is up to their company's standards," "finding and retaining good employees," and "meeting deadlines." Over one-third of respondents said managing unrealistic client expectations is a top frustration during a design project, with long lead times to receive products and staying within budgets identified as other top sources of frustration during a project.
Despite worries and frustrations, the Hausera survey finds nearly nine in 10 design pros are optimistic about the future of their business. Around one-quarter of respondents indicated having enough work to stay profitable was the biggest worry regarding their career, followed by not working on projects that interest and inspire them.
The Importance of the Client
A majority of respondents indicated their clients do not have a clear vision of what they want for projects. Professionals said the most important advice they would tell clients before a renovation project includes expecting the unexpected, anticipating delays, communicating effectively, establishing a realistic, honest budget, and researching for inspiration beforehand.
The Hausera study found client satisfaction is one of the most rewarding aspects of a project for professionals, following by creating beautiful and functional spaces and realizing a client's vision.
Marketing and Networking
Nearly half of respondents said their business is actively engaged on Facebook, the most popular social media platform for pros. Around three in 10 respondents use marketing technology tools such as Facebook and Instagram on a regular basis. Conversely, 48% of respondents said their business is not actively engaged on its social media presence on any platforms.
Over half of respondents said they network and share knowledge with industry peers to keep skills up to date, with two in five pros saying this is the most valuable way to enhance their skills. Over a third of respondents to the Hausera survey indicated they spend more than $500 a year on professional development to maintain their career, with nearly 40% attending in-person seminars and workshops. Despite the perceived importance of networking and professional development, nearly two-thirds of participants in the Hausera survey said they do not belong to an industry association.
Power of Technology
Approximately 55% of design professionals said they use finance or accounting technology tools to do their work on a regular basis, with a majority of that cohort preferring QuickBooks or QuickBooks Pro. More than half of respondents said they use design technology tools for their work regularly, with popular software including SketchUp, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Chief Architect.
The Kitchen & Bath Design Professional Insights Survey was conducted via SurveyMonkey between mid-September and October. The survey attracted responses from 138 kitchen and bath design professionals.
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