New Survey Reveals How Remodeling Projects Can Hurt Your Relationship

Trouble in the bedroom might be flooring or furniture-related during a remodel, rather than romance!

Designer: Mark Design Co. // Contractor: Straus Design/Build // Photographer: Charlotte Lea PhotographyCopyright © 2021 by Charlotte Lea

Did you know that remodeling can be hazardous to your relationship’s health? There’s a range of challenges that couples face when tackling a large project, and frequent disagreements that arise during the process. But a divine new kitchen or primary bathroom don’t have to spell doom to your marriage. Here’s what the home improvement platform Houzz revealed in its August 2025 Remodeling and Relationships Report, based on surveys of more than 540 couples who had taken on a project in the 12 months prior to January.

Time Matters

The report explores “how couples navigate home renovations together from the biggest sources of conflict to how they feel about their home once the dust settles.” It turns out that newer couples had a much more contentious process than those who had been together longer. The report showed that “4% of couples considered separating or divorcing during a home renovation. That number climbs to 12% for couples in relationships of five years or less, compared with just 2% among couples together for 30 years or more.”

Friction Drivers

“Common sources of conflict during renovations include difficulty staying on budget (31%), deciding on products, materials or finishes (28%), and agreeing on the project’s scope or design (20% each). Selections for paint colors (36%), furniture (33%) and flooring materials (29%) were frequently cited as sticking points and tended to be influenced by relationship duration.”

The newer couples disagreed most strongly on furniture choices (41%), while the 30-plus-year couples disagreed on paint and flooring (35%). “A home renovation is one of the most demanding journeys a couple embarks on together, with numerous decisions, budget considerations and trade-offs along the way,” said Marine Sargsyan, staff economist for Houzz.

My parents experienced that stress during their whole house remodel of a San Francisco Victorian. By the time they’d bought the 1860s “painted lady” in 1986, they’d been married 31 years. My mother was working full time as a banker and my father was an independent investor. He also handled much of the restoration work himself. Mom made the design choices. Dad implemented them. It wasn’t always as smooth as the matte finish on the elegant parlor walls — painted three different shades of gray before she was satisfied. (I could feel my dad’s frustration from across the country during our weekly phone calls.)

Communication Counts

“The findings highlight how communication, compromise and visualization technologies help mitigate disagreements and support productive collaboration throughout the renovation process among couples and the pros they hire,” noted Sargsyan in the report announcement. “When it comes to working with hired design and construction professionals, many respondents report a desire for improved visibility and coordination during a project.”

“The most common requests include transparent pricing (45%), clear communication (42%) and more accurate timelines (39%).” It should be noted that transparent pricing, thanks to unpredictable tariffs, is going to be a challenge for couples taking on projects this year. That’s a factor that didn’t arise during the survey period, and definitely something couples should discuss with their design and construction team from the beginning of a project.

I interviewed two prominent interior designers about the challenges of designing amid the uncertainty of this economic climate for my October trade magazine column and was told that they can’t even set 30 day pricing guarantees, as they did even during the pandemic. Two additional challenges are port bottlenecks making delivery dates uncertain, and the disappearance of workers making scheduling a challenge. These are potential friction drivers that can show up in the next relationship survey — and in your home improvement project.

Last Words

It’s not all doom and divorce though. Houzz reports that “the majority of couples described renovating together as ‘collaborative’ (59%) or ’fulfilling’ (50%), and nearly all agreed the result was worth it.” My parents certainly thoughts so, but they also escaped for a short reconnection cruise when the project was done. Maybe a romantic getaway should be budgeted into every major home improvement project!