Portland-area remodelers expect stronger year, bigger projects

Greg and Susan Humm were getting sick of their drab, mauve master bathroom and beat-up cabinetry in the kitchen. With their kids out of college, freeing up some cash, the couple decided it might be time to upgrade their Lake Oswego home.

"It was something we had put off for several years," Greg Humm said. "We thought the timing was right, both from a perspective of our personal life and the market."

Remodel spending in the Portland area has been in a steady decline since a 2007 peak of $304 million, according to building data aggregator Construction Monitor. Last year, homeowners spent $210 million on home improvement projects.

But as the economy turns around, remodeling contractors are taking aim at the homeowners who might have sold and moved up in the boom days. Today's homeowners, with more confidence in their job security but less equity in their homes, are more likely to stay put.

The Humms' home is one of 12 to be featured in the Tour of Remodeled Homes this weekend, a showcase for local remodelers' best work. Contractors in the showcase will make the pitch that investing in the extras makes their stay a little more comfortable.

If you go

Tour of Remodeled Homes

When: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

While remodel spending has fallen, the number of permits issued have stayed near their 2009 peak, ending just under 4,500 last year.

But in 2009 and 2010, most of the jobs were low-cost maintenance projects, said Mitch Stanley, the owner of Stanley Renovation & Design. The painting, replacing windows and improving energy efficiency that kept permit numbers high didn't fetch the high price tag of the whole-home remodels of years past.

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Portland-area remodelers expect stronger year, bigger projects