Exploring The Benefits of Houzz.com

Words: Uma Basso 
Photo: sabthai

Houzz.com is a home improvement platform that connects homeowners and professionals. With over 30 million users, the app allows homeowners to gain inspiration with new design ideas, buy products, and find local professionals.  

The Houzz Pro software is a dedicated platform that helps connect contractors, architects, and design professionals with homeowners seeking help with remodeling projects. In addition, the software gives construction professionals marketing, visualization, project, and administrative tools to help them run their business. Houzz Pro boasts over 2.5 million industry professionals on its site.  

Background of Houzz

Created by Alon Cohen and Adi Tatarko in 2008, Houzz.com gave homeowners an easy way to seek and share home décor and design photographs. The platform displays an array of online photos of the inspirational room and home designs. The website makes it easy for users to find and save pictures for their home projects. 

What began as a side gig soon grew into a full-fledged home improvement web platform. Homeowners can research and hire local professionals, purchase products, and gain inspiration from millions of users in the community. 

What is Houzz Pro?

Houzz Pro is a web-based platform that offers a suite of software solutions for contractors, architects, interior designers, and other building professionals. With these back-end tools, builders, contractors, designers, and other professionals can promote their business, attract clients, and manage projects in one place. Houzz Pro features span the customer life cycle with features ranging from marketing, job proposals and estimation, project management, billing, and customer communications.   

Features of Houzz Pro:

Houzz Pro comes equipped with various industry-specific functions that can be useful to contractors and masons who specialize in home building and remodeling. Key features include:

Marketing solutions:  Customized websites, personalized profiles, and lead generation management tools help contractors, masons, and designers promote their brands. 

Visualization tools: Easy-to-use floor plans and mood boards give contractors and designers the visual tools they need to showcase their ideas. 

Mobile estimation: With Houzz Pro, you can prepare and send estimates from anywhere. Clients can approve estimates with an e-signature on any device.   

Project management:  The built-in dashboard makes it easy to stay on top of project status. Just click on the project to see billing, estimate, and progress. The Tasks Overview page lets you monitor to-do lists and assigned tasks for each project. The visual timeline feature helps keep projects on schedule and can be modified as dates change.    

Benefits of Houzz Pro

Houzz Pro brings many benefits to home builders, contractors, masons, and other professionals specializing in the home building and remodeling industry.  

• Mobile app:  With its mobile capability, contractors and designers can access features from anywhere. The Houzz Pro app is easy to download and works on both iOS and Android devices. 
• Plenty of industry-specific features:  Houzz Pro was designed with the contractor in mind. With their Mood Board and 3D Floor Planner capability, you can share your vision and designs with potential clients. Communication and efficiency are improved with such features as lead tracking, job estimation, and project management. 
• Free basic plan: If the Houzz Pro added tools aren't necessary for your business, you could still get a basic profile and directory listing for free. 
• Free 30 trial:  With the Houzz Pro 30-day free trial, you can try the platform out at no charge. The free trial gives you time to navigate the app and test its features before you buy. If you decide not to move forward, just be sure to cancel before the trial ends to avoid being charged. 

Drawbacks of Houzz Pro

• Pricey: To access the features in the app, you need a paid subscription to Houzz Pro. There are three solutions for construction and design professionals. 
  • Starter Plan: Gives you have access to such features as the client dashboard, lead management, project tracker, visual tools, and invoicing. The Starter Plan costs $65 per month and is limited to one user.
  • Essential Plan: In addition to the features in the Starter Plan, you’ll have access to such marketing tools as a customized website, profile video, and featured reviews. The Essential Plan costs $99 per month and is available for up to three users. 
  • Ultimate Plan: The Ultimate Plan expands the marketing tools to include a lead generation program, preferred directory placement, and targeted advertising. The Ultimate Plan places no limit on the number of users and costs $399 per month. 

While the pricing tiers above are based on a monthly fee, you may have to commit for an entire year if you sign up. You may need to speak with a customer service representative or schedule a demo before choosing a plan; however, you may be able to get a promotional rate.

• Mixed reviews: While some industry professionals praised the use and functionality of the app, others found the platform challenging to navigate or the features hard to use. 
• Customer support:  If you have a Starter Plan, customer support is limited to email. Support limitations can be a drawback for a busy contractor if you can't get immediate help when you need it. The Essential Plan covers phone support, while the Ultimate Plan offers a dedicated support team. 
• Lead quality: Homeowners who reach out to contractors through the Houzz app may be at different stages of their remodeling plans. While some may be seeking contractors for immediate projects, other homeowners may be shopping around for the lowest price. 

What’s the Bottom Line?

If you are a contractor or mason who regularly takes on home improvement projects, the Houzz Pro app may be worth considering. With its array of industry-specific management solutions, the platform can improve your efficiency and client communications. With its mobile app, you can generate job estimates, review project status, and communicate with clients whether you are in the office or on the job site. 

Yet to fully use the software, you must be willing to invest. With the Houzz Pro 30-day free trial, you can test the platform's functionality to ensure that it is a good fit for your business before you decide to invest.