As home remodeling becomes increasingly popular, more couples are arguing over paint colors and floor finishes. The new 2025 U.S. Houzz Remodeling & Relationship Survey says that the many options in a home redesign can put a strain on relationships. But it's not always only the burden of picking out finishes. Sometimes the bigger question is whether to sell or remodel the house.
The survey from Houzz found that 12% of couples who had been together for five years or less even thought about breaking up or getting a divorce during a house remodel.
Marine Sargsyan, an economist at Houzz, says, "A home renovation is clearly one of the most demanding journeys a couple embarks on together, with numerous decisions, budget considerations, and trade-offs along the way." "The results show how communication, compromise, and visualization technologies can help couples and the professionals they hire work together more effectively during the renovation process."
How to Work with Real Estate Agents
Because of the tension, real estate brokers could act as middlemen to help customers make renovation choices that are less stressful.
As home remodeling becomes more popular, real estate agents are finding that they can be heroes by recommending trustworthy contractors, designers, and remodelers, as well as tools to make the process easier.
Agents can give homeowners information about similar homes in the area so they can see what features other homes have that are similar to theirs. They can also give clients more information about which refurbishment trends give the best return on investment (ROI). The National Association of REALTORS®' 2025 renovation Impact Report is one of many resources that show which home renovation improvements tend to pay off the most when you sell your home. )
The Most Common Complaints Couples Have When Remodeling
The Houzz study says that the main causes of disagreement during renovations are:
31% of people find it hard to stick to their budget.
28% of people disagreed with items, materials, and finishes.
Coming to an agreement on the project's scope or design (20%)
The survey also found that approximately a third of couples indicated that picking paint colors, furniture, and flooring materials was a regular problem during a refurbishment.
The Houzz survey found that couples argue about different things during a remodel depending on how long they've been together. For instance, couples who have been together for less than 10 years tend to fight over furniture selections, couples who have been together for 21 to 30 years prefer to fight over flooring, and couples who have been together for 30 years or more likely to fight over paint colors and flooring.
To get through these tough times, couples said they had to make compromises and use tools more and more to help them picture the end outcome. The Houzz survey found that younger couples were more willing to compromise, while couples who had been together for a long time were twice as likely to have one spouse give up and let the other win.
According to the survey, couples agreed that the remodeling process would be smoother if designers and builders were more open about their prices, communicated properly, and gave more precise timelines.
Most couples indicated they were happy with the outcome of the remodeling project, saying that their newly renovated home made them more comfortable, happier, and less stressed. They only have to get to the end.
