Houzz study shows outdoor pro hires

Houzz said on June 2 that U.S. homeowners are hiring professionals for outdoor renovation projects at the highest rate the company has recorded, as more households treat patios, yards and decks as everyday living space rather than resale upgrades. The company’s 2026 U.S. Outdoor Trends Study found 71% of homeowners used a professional for outdoor renovations this year, up from 65% in 2024. The same study said homeowners are placing more weight on comfort and function, while the share renovating to improve resale value fell to 15% from 18% in 2024. Furniture Today highlighted the findings in a June 2 report on the outdoor category. ### Why are more homeowners bringing in professionals for outdoor work? Houzz said 71% of homeowners hired a professional for outdoor renovations in 2026, the highest level recorded in the study. Furniture Today said the increase reflected growing demand for professional help as projects become more complex. The Houzz study did not frame the increase as a single-category surge tied to one feature. (houzz.com) Instead, its findings showed homeowners building multi-use outdoor areas that can include seating, dining, cooking, gardening and quiet retreat zones in the same project. That broader scope can require design, construction, landscaping, lighting and furnishing decisions across one space. (furnituretoday.com) ### What are homeowners trying to get from these projects? Houzz said deteriorated or broken outdoor elements remained the top renovation trigger at 41%. The company also said the share of homeowners upgrading spaces to make them more accommodating rose to 25%, up 3 percentage points from 2024. Marine Sargsyan, head of economic research at Houzz, said homeowners are investing in outdoor renovations with “long-term lifestyle goals in mind.” She said the company is seeing “a shift away from resale-driven upgrades toward spaces that support everyday routines and blur the lines between indoors and out.” (houzz.com) ### Which outdoor spaces are showing up most often? (houzz.com) Houzz said lounge or seating areas were the most common outdoor living feature, included by 83% of renovating homeowners. Dining areas followed at 55%, while quiet retreats or reading areas reached 53%, gardening areas 49% and outdoor cooking areas 48%, according to the study. (furnituretoday.com) Houzz also said homeowners are adding indoor-style elements outside, including sofas or lounge chairs, lighting, coffee or side tables, and fireplaces or fire pits. The company’s companion trends coverage said lower-maintenance landscapes and indoor-style furnishings continue to gain traction in 2026 projects. ### Where does resale value fit now? (deck-specialist.com) Houzz said 15% of homeowners cited resale value as a reason for outdoor renovation, down 3 percentage points from 2024. That put resale behind repair needs and day-to-day usability in the company’s ranking of renovation motivations. Furniture Today described the findings as part of the continued rise of outdoor spaces within the home. (houzz.com) Houzz’s own summary said homeowners are designing exterior areas for living, not listing, with the emphasis on regular use rather than near-term sale preparation. ### How big was the study behind these numbers? (houzz.com) Houzz said the 2026 U.S. Outdoor Trends Study surveyed more than 1,100 U.S. respondents. The company published the study on its research platform on June 2 and paired it with a consumer-facing roundup of 10 outdoor remodeling trends for 2026. June 2 coverage from Furniture Today and June 3 follow-up reports from trade outlets including Kitchen & Bath Business and Deck Specialist repeated the same core findings on pro hiring, comfort-first renovation goals and the mix of outdoor spaces homeowners are building. (furnituretoday.com) (houzz.com)