Home Renovations

Roofing Leads Exterior Residential Exterior Renovation Activity

Activity steady as spending shifts in 2026

By Tanja Kern, Senior Strategic Content Editor

exterior of home — Photo by todd kent on Unsplash

Exterior home renovation activity remained steady in 2025, with roofing continuing as the most common project, according to the 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study.

Roofing projects were reported by 22% of homeowners, followed by windows and skylights (20%) and exterior painting and gutter upgrades (19% each). Participation across exterior categories remained largely unchanged from the previous year.

Median spending on roofing projects held at $13,000, while spending increased in several other exterior categories, including insulation, exterior doors, decks and gutters.

Overall, 54% of homeowners completed renovation projects in 2025, with median spending at $20,000. Looking ahead, fewer homeowners plan projects in 2026, with participation expected to decline to 50% and median planned spending dropping to $15,000.

“Home renovation continues at historic levels, even as homeowners take a more cautious approach to future projects,” said Marine Sargsyan, head of economic research at Houzz.

The study found that many homeowners are choosing to remain in place rather than move, with 61% planning to stay in their homes for at least 11 years.

Hiring levels for roofing contractors remained stable, with 17% of renovating homeowners using roofing professionals, reflecting continued demand for exterior improvements.

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Tanja Kern covers economic trends and the intersection of architecture, design, and construction for Roofing Contractor, with an emphasis on the forces reshaping the industry. She develops and amplifies content that connects roofing professionals with the intelligence they need to compete and grow.

With more than 20 years of experience, Tanja has written for national business, consumer and trade publications. She holds a Master of Science in magazine publishing from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.