Research and reference
Current, sourced facts about remodeling activity, homeowner spending, and the projects shaping homes in California and across the U.S.
Last updated November 4, 2026
At a glance
For California homeowners, home improvement is rarely just about a finish. Current data shows a market shaped by necessary replacements, established homes, and projects that increasingly call for experienced hands.
This page brings together the latest reliable figures from the National Association of Home Builders and Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Each statistic links directly to its published source so homeowners, writers, and researchers can check the original data.
The numbers
$22.2 billion
California represented 8.0% of the nation’s remodeling market in NAHB’s Q1 2026 state projections, the largest share of any state.
Source: National Association of Home Builders, State Projections of Remodeling, Q1 2026 ↗$509 billion
Harvard’s Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity projected this level of spending for 2025, a 1.2% increase from the prior year.
Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, January 2025 ↗29.7%
Nearly 26 million owner households completed at least one improvement project in 2023.
Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Improving America’s Housing 2025, using 2023 American Housing Survey data ↗$4,700
Owner-occupied home improvements reached $405 billion in 2023, up 54% from 2019 before adjusting for inflation.
Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Improving America’s Housing 2025, using 2023 American Housing Survey data ↗49%
Necessary work such as roofing, windows, and HVAC accounted for nearly half of owner improvement spending.
Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Improving America’s Housing 2025, using 2023 American Housing Survey data ↗84.1%
Professionally installed projects totaled $340 billion in 2023, while DIY spending was $64 billion.
Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Improving America’s Housing 2025, using 2023 American Housing Survey data ↗$105 billion
Maintenance spending was 61% higher than in 2019 before adjusting for inflation, reaching $1,200 per owner in 2023.
Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Improving America’s Housing 2025, using 2023 American Housing Survey data ↗15%
Projects such as fencing, sheds, landscaping, and recreational structures represented this share of owner improvement spending.
Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Improving America’s Housing 2025, using 2023 American Housing Survey data ↗$6,000+
San Francisco was among the metros where annual per-owner improvement outlays averaged at least $6,000 between 2015 and 2023.
Source: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Improving America’s Housing 2025 ↗What the data points to
Nearly half of owner improvement spending in 2023 went to replacement projects. That tells a simple story: many homeowners are making decisions around the systems and materials their homes rely on, from windows and roofing to heating, cooling, and the surrounding finishes.
California’s leading share of remodeling activity and the Bay Area’s long-term spending level put that national pattern into a local context. When a project includes repairs, finishes, or outdoor work, a clear scope and a team that can help connect the details can make the next step easier to manage.
Explore Home Werx services →Methodology and sources
This is a reference page, not a forecast from Home Werx Solutions. We use published figures from established housing research organizations, name the source and data period next to each statistic, and link back to the original publication. We update the page when a key source releases newer data.
Home Werx Solutions. “California Home Improvement Statistics: 2026 Data.” Updated November 4, 2026. https://homewerxsolutions.com/california-home-improvement-statistics
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