When it comes to deciding which home projects to tackle, the inspiration often starts closer to home than many people might expect. according to a Rocket Mortgage survey of 1,018 US homeowners conducted in December 2025, more than half — 53% — say friends and family are the most influential factor in their renovation decision-making. That finding sits at the heart of a broader picture that reveals how homeowners are prioritizing major renovation plans over discretionary spending, and how deeply social and cultural forces shape where they direct their dollars. With 75% of respondents choosing a $20,000 home renovation over a dream vacation, the data makes clear that renovation is no longer just a financial decision — it’s a deeply personal one, shaped by the people and media that homeowners trust most.
The People in Your Life Have More Influence Than Any Algorithm
More than any contractor, design magazine, or online search result, it’s the people sitting across from homeowners at the dinner table who steer renovation choices. The Rocket Mortgage survey found that 53% of homeowners cite friends and family as the most influential source when making renovation decisions — ranking higher than contractors at 31% and design shows at 27%. This isn’t entirely surprising. Home renovation decisions carry real financial weight and emotional stakes. Asking a neighbor what their bathroom remodel actually cost, or hearing a sister-in-law rave about her new kitchen, tends to carry more credibility than a polished advertisement. Personal referrals are grounded in lived experience, and homeowners appear to trust that authenticity above more formal or commercial sources of guidance. That influence from personal networks also helps explain which projects rise to the top of renovation wish lists. When the people around you have renovated their bathrooms and kitchens, those projects become normalized — and aspirational. The survey found that bathroom remodels are the top interior pick, chosen by 28% of homeowners, with kitchen remodels close behind at 25%.
Design Shows Still Carry Real Weight
While friends and family top the influence rankings, design shows are far from irrelevant. The survey found that 27% of homeowners say design programming shapes their renovation plans — a meaningful share that reflects just how much HGTV-style content has embedded itself in the culture of home improvement. Design shows have a particular talent for making large-scale renovations feel accessible and achievable. A well-produced before-and-after segment on a kitchen transformation can turn an abstract idea into a concrete goal. It’s likely no coincidence that kitchen remodels rank among the most desired interior projects, with 25% of homeowners selecting them as their top interior renovation pick — and 28% saying a dream kitchen remodel would feel more satisfying than a dream vacation. That last figure is worth sitting with. More than one in four homeowners would get more personal satisfaction from a renovated kitchen than from an international trip or bucket-list experience. The influence of design media, which consistently positions the kitchen as the emotional and social center of the home, almost certainly plays a role in shaping that sentiment.
Contractors Rank Third — But Still Reach Nearly a Third of Homeowners
At 31%, contractors rank as the second most influential source in renovation decisions, trailing friends and family but sitting well ahead of design shows. This makes intuitive sense: once a homeowner moves from inspiration to planning, the contractor relationship becomes a primary source of education about what’s feasible, what’s cost-effective, and what will hold up over time. Contractors also likely play a role in steering homeowners toward exterior projects. Landscaping tops the exterior renovation preference list at 23%, followed by windows and doors at 21%. Both of these are categories where professional guidance around durability, return on investment, and local climate considerations can shift a homeowner’s priorities in a measurable way. The influence of contractors may also connect to the survey’s finding that 47% of homeowners say resale value factors significantly into their renovation decisions. Contractors who work closely with homeowners over time often help frame projects not just as personal improvements, but as long-term investments in the property — a framing that resonates with nearly half of all respondents.
How Homeowners Are Paying for What Inspires Them
Once the decision to renovate is made — whether inspired by a neighbor’s new bathroom, a kitchen makeover on television, or a contractor’s recommendation — the next question is how to fund it. The survey found that 53% of homeowners draw on personal savings, while 47% use some form of financing. Among those financing options, HELOCs are the most commonly used at 13%, followed by home equity loans and credit cards, each at 10%. Personal loans account for 7%, while cash-out refinancing is used by 4% of homeowners. The distribution suggests that while savings remain the go-to approach, a substantial portion of homeowners are comfortable leveraging their home equity or other financial tools to bring renovation projects to life. This openness to financing — particularly equity-based options — reflects a broader shift in how homeowners view renovation spending. The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, cited in the Rocket Mortgage survey, reported that US homeowners spent $608 billion on remodeling in 2025, a figure approximately 50% higher than pre-pandemic levels. The scale of that spending indicates that renovation has become a financial priority for millions of households, not an afterthought.
Social Forces Shape Renovation Choices
The Rocket Mortgage survey paints a picture of renovation decision-making that is far more social and emotionally driven than it might appear from the outside. Friends and family carry the most influence at 53%, with contractors and design programming completing a triad of trusted sources that together shape renovation plans in which homeowners invest their time and money. The projects that emerge from that influence — bathrooms, kitchens, landscaping, windows and doors — are ones with both personal resonance and perceived long-term value. For homeowners weighing whether and how to renovate, understanding what’s actually driving the decision can be just as valuable as knowing the project costs themselves.
References
Rocket Mortgage. (2025). Home Renovation Costs vs. Dream Vacation Survey. https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/home-renovation-costs-vs-dream-vacation
Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. (2025). Remodeling spending data cited in Rocket Mortgage survey. https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/home-renovation-costs-vs-dream-vacation
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