Every two weeks, FCNews seeks out flooring retailers across the country to offer their advice on hot topics of the day. This week we asked: How is home improvement activity in your market?
Here are their responses:
“Home improvement continues to be an important factor in our business. Several interest rate increases in 2022 made it much harder for homeowners to purchase new homes. The result is homeowners are buying things, including carpet and rugs, to improve their existing homes.”
—Rick Myers, Myers Carpet, Dalton
“We are busy but a lot of it is insurance work. In late December, Atlanta had record low temperatures and many pipes burst and flooded homes. It has been a slow process for the homeowners. Most of our estimates right now are for insurance claims.”
—Elisabeth Stubbs, Enhance Floors & More, Marietta, Ga.
“The first couple of months have started on pace with last year. The home improvement sector is still strong even though consumers seem to be shopping a little harder. We are trying to stay optimistic in spite of a sketchy economic forecast.”
—Bill Huss, D&M Interiors, Appleton, Wis.
“We have noticed a significant increase in remodel replacement sales. The uptick is across the board from luxury vinyl to hardwood to carpet. Most sales are materials in the better-and-up range.”
—Bill Zeigler, Charles F. Zeigler & Sons, Hanover, Pa.
“I speak frequently with other owners in my market who are in the home improvement industry. The general consensus is that 2023 will be a flat year. I believe the stock market reflects the economic opinion of the marketplace, and we all know it isn’t a bull market.”
—Kevin Rose, Carpetland USA, Rockford, Ill.
