Cozy Hibernating and Indoor TLC: Thumbtack Predicts Fall and Winter Home Trends

40 percent of homeowners plan to invest more than $5,000 in their homes over the next year

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Thumbtack, the modern home management platform, today announced the top fall and winter home projects in its bi-annual trends report. Using insights from millions of home projects, Thumbtack is predicting homeowners will maximize the coziness of their spaces ahead of colder weather and holiday gatherings.

“After a year of all-time highs in home buying and widespread supply shortages, investing in where we live, work, and play has taken on a whole new meaning,” said David Steckel, Home Expert at Thumbtack. “We are predicting an increase in home maintenance and weather-proofing projects to accommodate the continued, above-average, wear-and-tear on homes. What’s more, according to our recent survey of 1,000 Americans, nearly 35 percent of current homeowners plan to invest more than $5,000 in their homes over the next 12 months.”

Cozy Hibernating

This season, Thumbtack is predicting coziness will reign as colder regions prepare to hibernate with close friends and family. Thumbtack data shows an 83 percent increase in fireplace and chimney installations over the last three months. For homeowners looking to add a fireplace this season, installation typically costs $2,643.

Outdoors, hot tubs are on the rise while swimming pools are on the outs. There’s been a 59 percent spike in swimming pool removals compared to last year, while installations are down 92 percent for above-ground and 32 percent for in-ground over the past three months. In contrast, Thumbtack predicts a continued increase in interest in hot tub and spa installations, which are up 44 percent over the past three months.

Fall To-Do List: Indoor TLC

Homes have seen more wear-and-tear than ever before. As a result, Thumbtack predicts an increase in home maintenance and upgrade projects throughout the fall and winter. Top projects to book ahead of winter include carpet cleaning ($150 on average in the U.S.), pest control services ($60-125 on average in the U.S.) and pressure washing ($250 on average in the U.S.). To avoid costly repairs, Thumbtack recommends getting ahead of regular maintenance, which could save homeowners upwards of $1,540 per year for labor alone.

When it comes to home upgrades, Thumbtack data shows a 134 percent increase in smart home installations compared to last year ($279 on average in the U.S.) as well as a 156 percent increase in closet remodels ($2,000-$10,000 on average in the U.S.), and home organizing, which has seen an 83 percent ($117 on average in the U.S.).

Weatherproofing for the Winter

Extreme storms mean getting ahead of weatherproofing is imperative to avoid costly repairs. Thumbtack data shows that there have been drastic increases in plumbing clean-up and preventative care including a 569 percent increase in water damage cleanup and restoration, a 115 percent increase in sump pump installations, and a 90 percent increase in home waterproofing projects in the last year.

2022 Resolution: A Greener Home

“Looking ahead, we predict larger investments in greener homes to not only help keep home costs down year-round but also to decrease your overall environmental footprint.” said Steckel, “Projects like solar panel installations, window installations or replacements, and insulation installations or upgrades can dramatically reduce energy bills and help reduce your carbon-footprint. We recommend tackling these projects before winter, where heating bills can spike drastically if you’re not prepared.”

For the entire Fall and Winter Home Trend Guide, check out our blog. To book a professional for your home projects, visit www.thumbtack.com or download the Thumbtack app (available on iOS and Android).

About Thumbtack

Thumbtack is a technology leader building the modern home management platform. Through the Thumbtack app, homeowners can effortlessly manage their homes — confidently knowing what to do, when to do it, and who to hire. Bringing the $500 billion home services industry online, Thumbtack empowers millions of homeowners to fix, maintain, and improve their most valuable asset. Hundreds of thousands of local service professionals, from painters and plumbers to photographers and math tutors, use the Thumbtack platform to grow their business each year.