Surfing the remodeling industry blogosphere, I found this thought-provoking post on Remodeling Magazine’s website blog.

The topic is certainly of interest to remodelers and prospective remodeling homeowners alike, so I thought I’d share it with you, Dear Readers.  My short answer to the question (THAT is out of character for me!), is that HGTV and the like have been both wonderful (spurring interest) and horrible (let’s just say that many of us refer to it as “remodeling pornography”) for our industry.  Read on….

Mason

Can I put hardwood floors in my kitchen and entryway for $1,000? And get new cabinets and appliances? And have my carpeting shampooed and restretched? And get a new front door? Installed? Probably not. (Okay, definitely not.) I know I have to save lots of pennies (and nickels, dimes, and quarters) before any of my Grand Remodeling Plans can come true. But a Newsweek article on MSNBC this week reminded me just how much small change is required to make big changes.

In his article “The High Price of Home Improvement,” writer Daniel McGinn shares with readers his affinity for the original home-improvement show “This Old House.” I’ve never met Mr. McGinn, but I know he and I have at least one thing in common: We watch such programs with dollar signs in our eyes. He points out in the article that, on the show, the cost of a project - or even of a product - is rarely discussed on camera, and that’s true of almost every home-improvement show I’ve seen.

Frankly, I think that puts remodelers at a disadvantage by creating a nation of homeowners with unrealistic expectations. How many times have homeowners come to you with huge as-seen-on-TV ideas, but tiny budgets that can’t possibly cover all the expenses? At the same time, if “This Old House” said at the beginning of each episode that the project at hand had a $500,000 price tag, would that deter viewers from remodeling their own homes? Quite a catch-22. On one hand you have wildly unqualified potential clients, and on the other you have no clients at all. What's a remodeler to do?

Personally, I'd like to know more about the line-item expenditures for TV remodels, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts on how such disclosure would play out. When you do meet a potential client with out-of-whack budget ideas, how do you handle the situation? Do you "just say no" to those clients and tell them to come back when they have more funds to play with? Refer them to another, smaller company in your area? Do you suggest modified plans with less expensive products, or a project with a smaller scope? And what steps can you take at the outset to let clients know what your average job costs?

For better or for worse, TLC, DIY Network, HGTV, and a host of other channels have built their program line-ups around Americans' desires to beautify and personalize their spaces. How have these channels helped or hindered your business? Drop me an e-mail, or use the "Submit a Comment" button at the top of the page to post your thoughts. I'm eager to read your comments - but first I think a nickel just rolled behind my filing cabinet. As soon as I get it out, it's going in the Hunter Family Remodeling Fund.

Lauren Hunter
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