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Cause for Optimism.

Article Excerpt
Cause for Optimism

By Kenneth W. Betz

It may not be a stellar year, but many remodelers are expecting 2009 to be OK

Despite a stream of troubling economic news, a surprisingly large number of remodelers surveyed by Qualified Remodeler remain relatively optimistic about business in 2009. Nearly 60 percent expect revenues to be the same or better than 2008. A quarter of those surveyed expect business to be flat, while 18.5 percent expect business to be up 5to10 percent, and 13 percent expect increases of more than that.

Asked what option best describes their 2009 focus, remodelers responded similarly. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) expect to hold the line on revenue or increase it. Slightly over 10 percent expect to downsize their companies, and another 23 percent describe their business stance as survival mode.

Less than 20 percent surveyed described remodeling activity in their local markets as "vastly declining," while a slightly smaller number (17 percent) forecast an increase in activity.

That isn't to say, however, that there aren't numbers of remodeling firms facing difficult times and wrenching decisions that may include downsizing and laying off valued employees to survive.

Excitement is...

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