00:00 Speaker a
Lowe’s Lower shares that reported better than expected, income and growing sales from specialists compensate for DIY user weakness. Homeowners continue to spend less on large ticket items, albeit wider economic uncertainty. Angie 2025 The home expenditure state report shows that 48% of homeowners are more likely to be stressed due to home repairs than in January. After joining me now, we have Angie Hicks, the founder of Angie. Angie, first of all we had to ask you, where do homeowners get a lot of stress?
00:53 Angie Hicks
I think honestly when you need to take care of your home, most of us are the greatest asset. And we tend to spend, you know, from one to two percent of the value of the house for improvement and repair each year. So it really depends on the budget and understanding of what you need to do in your home and how to best invest those dollars.
01:24 Speaker a
So, from what you hear, do you do some DIY projects that homeowners usually do?
01:46 Angie Hicks
Well, we conducted a Pulse survey that April. We would renew the state of our home and saw that 70% of the homeowners said they had postponed the project. But I think what you really need to understand is what you know, really means. We also found that they do more maintenance, which is very common, which is a very common phenomenon when we see an economic downturn or uncertainty. Because what they want to do is not surprised. They do not want to surprise the release, so they will make sure they match their air conditioner so that it will not leave the hottest day of the year. Check the roof so they have no leakage. So they only become much more honest about those everyday things. And they will make less discretion at their own discretion, no more non -discond items. So maybe we don’t add a pool this year, but we still intend to make sure we look after that house. So you see some of the shifts there, and honestly, some of those DIY projects can enter the bucket they can choose at your own discretion.
03:03 Speaker a
Yes, we had a good blasting pool at the same time. So finally go a little to stand next to the hose. Yes, exactly. So when you think of some of the lower cost alternatives for all transformations, as these are some projects that homeowners will accept if they want to list their homes in the next 12 months, what do you hear on that front? What is the pulse?
04:10 Angie Hicks
Yes, so many times kitchens and bathrooms are always at the top of the renovation list. And you know that many times people think these are tens of thousands of dollars projects. Yes, they can be. Some can be very big projects, but there are many things you can do to make it even more effective in the UH project economical and gain functionality. For example, if you want to have a newer look in your kitchen, consider renewing countertops. If you avoid renewing cabinets, it is there that there is big money and don’t change your kitchen traces if you can, because if you start to move the water and electricity movement, the costs begin to raise. The same thing in the bathroom. Think about the floor replacement, the sink renovation, but if you are going to make a whole shower, it will be more expensive.
05:24 Speaker a
So how do the benefits from another answer to what homeowners eventually signal for them, on the market, for professionals who also work on these projects?
05:48 Angie Hicks
Absolutely. So professionals work more with homeowners to talk to them about alternatives. You know, I just had our Angie UH Pro Council meeting the next day. We talked a lot with professionals about the different things they see where they can help homeowners make compromises and make good decisions on how to invest those dollars. Uh and you know and they want me to be sorry, and they are also looking for ways to collect projects together. So, you know if they offer to clean windows and clean gutters, which indicates that it can be a single trip to consumers and can be a more efficient economic job.
06:53 Speaker a
What is the solution of the solutions, should you actually start a new project?
07:04 Angie Hicks
Well, I mean that you need to think about your budget first. Look at your budget, understand how much you have to spend. I also always encourage homeowners to walk around your home and appreciate everything you see because you can choose to do the wrong project and we don’t want people to do it. You know, so you want to start with structural problems, then go to the mechanical things and then start your cosmetic type of more update type elements. So do the fact that you know how, hey, my refrigerators on my last leg. UH, you don’t go and put on a new deck, and then realize that in August. Come on to buy a refrigerator and feel crisp.
08:05 Speaker a
Angie, it’s great to see you. Thank you very much for spending time as always.
08:12 Angie Hicks
Thank you.