Kitchen/bath Dealers Expecting Remodeling Uptick

An index measuring the confidence of 150 kitchen and bath dealers shows that they believe sales will increase this year.
The National Kitchen and Bath Association’s Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) for the fourth quarter of 2010 rose 23 points to 37. The index ranges from -60 to 60.
Seventy-eight percent of the surveyed dealers said they expect an increase in kitchen and bath revenue in 2011. Seventy percent said they expect showroom sales to increase due to kitchen and bath remodels.
Despite predicting an increase in sales, most of the dealers surveyed did not expect prices to increase. Thirty-four percent Said that the price of kitchen remodels will rise, while 39 percent said the price of bath remodels will rise.
Some other highlights:

• Kitchen remodeling sales volume was up 113 percent from the previous quarter and up 110 percent from 2009. Eighty-two percent of dealers anticipate an increase in the first quarter.
• Kitchen prices were up 20 percent from the previous quarter and up 9 percent from 2009.
• Bath remodeling sales volume was up 105 percent from the previous quarter and up 50 percent from 2009. Seventy-two percent of dealers anticipate an increase in the first quarter.
• Bath prices were up 22 percent from the previous quarter and up 18 percent from 2009.