PR October 2009

Faced with a shortfall of new business, remodelers have been obliged to make cuts in staff, pay and benefits and bring work in house that used to be outsourced.

What percentage of leads should a remodeler close and how do you reach that close ratio? Two leading remodelers offer their advice.

While gas-burning products continue to represent the largest number of fireplace products shipped to retailers in the U.S. (1,017,000), pellet stoves and inserts and other biomass-burning fireplaces saw a 161 percent spike in shipments (141,000) in 2008. The figures, posted by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), also show that fireplaces are a $5 billion—a-year industry.

Data and information on the Houston remodeling market

The new lead paint regulations are set to take effect April 22, 2010, and that will mean a big change in the way many remodelers do business.

The "U.S. Foamed Plastic Demand" report from market research firm Freedonia Group says spray-foam insulation in residential homes will grow 2.8 percent annually. Slightly better growth is expected for foamed flexible urethane products instead of their rigid counterparts through 2013, says Corinne Gangloff, media relations director for Freedonia.

Data and information on the Los Angeles remodeling market

Employees need to be involved in crafting a company's mission if they are going to truly buy into it.

It's no secret that 2008 was a tough year for remodelers, and the 2009 Professional Remodeler Market Leaders report shows that even the biggest companies felt the pain.

Data and information on the Twin Cities remodeling market