Dive Brief:

• More than one-third of homeowners with custom-built homes have recreational rooms, according to data from home design website Houzz, with media rooms (29%), gyms (22%) and libraries (18%) as the most popular choices.

• Six in 10 homeowners building a custom home use custom-drawn plans while three in 10 modify pre-drawn plans to their liking, indicating a desire for customization. Builders were the most common professionals selected by homeowners (63%) to assist with a custom-built project, followed by architects and general contractors (38% each). 

• Millennials who opt for a custom home average spending less on the project ($423,100) than Gen Xers ($714,300) and baby boomers ($1.17 million).

Dive Insight:

"Rec" rooms and a more favorable layout aren’t the only trends driving high-end home design. In a September survey of 1,000 homeowners renovating their properties, Houzz found that more than half were adding Web-enabled systems and devices, including fire and natural gas alarms, security cameras and motion sensors.

Technology is also a factor for universal design upgrades, according to a report last month on aging-in-place design from real estate website HomeAdvisor. Features such as home security systems, smart lighting and internet-connected thermostats were among those named by homeowners for improving accessibility.

Still, the HomeAdvisor report found that while 86% of homeowners are aware of renovation opportunities that will allow them to live in their current residence for longer, fewer than one-quarter has done anything to implement such features. In addition to technology, universal design features to aid mobility include handrails, wide hallways and single-level homes, according to a design trends report from the American Institute of Architects earlier this year.

Overall, remodeling activity was on the rise in the third quarter, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ Remodeling Market Index, while real-estate listing website Zillow noted last month that more than half of homebuyers purchase a property in need of updates. Those updates typically include interior repainting and reflooring, replacing appliances and landscaping the exterior, according to Zillow, affording opportunities for customization along the way.

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