U.S. remodeling activity slows

However, current market conditions, as well as future expectations of the RMI, were still in the positive range for 2005 as a whole, though slightly below the 2004 average.

The RMI measures remodeler perceptions of market demand for current and future residential remodeling projects. Any number over 50 indicates that more remodelers view market conditions as expanding. The current market conditions dropped to 46.6 from 50.9, and the future expectations index moved to 47.5 from 51.8.

“The rise in interest rates has slowed homeowner refinancing, often used to fund remodeling projects,” said NAHB Remodelors Council Chairman Vince Butler, in a Feb. 21 news release. “The less-frenzied housing market also contributed to a lowering of market expectations in the final quarter, but we still expect to see solid growth in the remodeling industry in 2006.”

For owner-occupied units, the index shifted to 48.9 from 56.2, while the renter-occupied component grew to 40.4 from 37.9.

In the futures expectation index, owner-occupied units moved from 55.4 to 50.4, and renter-occupied units increased to 37.8 from 31. Remodeling accounts for 40 percent of all residential construction and improvement spending and more than 2 percent of the U.S. economy.

“The market could not sustain the record pace of home sales and housing production recorded in 2005, but we feel that 2006 will be a solid year in the housing sector with ongoing growth in the remodeling industry” said NAHB Chief Economist Dave Seiders, in the release. “Homeowner equity will continue to support the industry, and last quarter’s rise in the rental components of the RMI bodes well for this year.”

Declines in the Midwest, South and Northeast were offset by strong growth in the West, where current market conditions improved from 56.3 to 58.5 and future expectations rose from 55.5 to 63.5. Current conditions in the Midwest dropped from 50.2 to 41.1 with the future index decreasing to 46.2 from 51.8.

The RMI “special questions” section delved into significant problems remodeling firms faced in 2005 and what they expect to face this year, as well as major issues expected to shape the industry within the next five years.

In 2005, 71 percent of remodelers faced high material costs, compared to 36 percent in 2001. Nearly eight in 10 expect material costs to be a significant problem in 2006. The availability of skilled labor ranked second, as 67 percent of remodelers faced this problem in 2005, and the same number believe it will continue in 2006. The RMI also indicated that 56 percent of remodelers believe the aging population will provide strong support for remodeling within the next five years.