Kermit Baker
Kermit Baker
billions dollars economic excellent generates interior market pick position related represents shows signs slack spending
As the residential market shows signs of softening, the nonresidential market is in excellent position to pick up the slack in construction activity. Nonresidential construction not only represents billions of dollars in economic activity, but also generates a lot of related spending in furnishings and interior decor.
instead means phone return three
For consumers, this means they are going to get contractors who return phone calls, and they are going to be able to get two or three bids, instead of just one.
architects design early fairly helps key percentage small trends
Architects design a fairly small percentage of homes, but they really are the trendsetters. It helps us find out early what the key trends are.
appliances fancy
They want the top-line appliances in their kitchens. They want the fancy countertops.
buyers cape convenient core fairly half home jobs last moving older population seen smaller spending suburbs value
Over the last 10 years, we've seen a fairly significant core of the population spending more than half the value of their home on improvements. Some of that is because buyers increasingly are moving into older suburbs convenient to their jobs in the city, and they're renovating smaller Cape Cod and ranch-style homes.
niche slice themselves thin
Firms really niche themselves on a thin slice of remodeling activity.
activity design education health regional seeing seem strong strongest
We're seeing regional design activity very strong here. The strongest sectors seem to be on the institutional side, education and health care.