Home remodeling goes social as startup transforms industry

Home remodeling, one of the biggest industries in the country and one of particular interest to the Bay Area, is being transformed by the Internet with a push from a fast-growing startup in Silicon Valley.

Until recently, a homeowner thinking about remodeling would have checked out books from the library, read some design magazines, asked friends for advice and tried to find help on the Web.

But in January, 14 million people turned instead to Houzz, a small Palo Alto company that has grabbed the $300 billion remodeling industry by the tail and is changing the way homeowners connect with design professionals and figure out how they want to improve their homes. And it’s taking off just as the housing market is rebounding and giving homeowners more equity to play with.

By Pete Carey

Full Story: http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_22817543/home-remodeling-goes-social-startup-transforms-industry