Houzz Pro Review (2024): Software Pros, Cons, & Is It Worth It?

Home design and renovation projects will always be daunting, no matter how much research you do. From finding ideas, planning, and anticipating costs to finding professionals to bring your ideas to life, remodeling projects typically feel like an uphill climb.

As an investor, you also have to scout the market for an ideal investment property, making even the simplest of home design or house-flipping projects overwhelming.

Thankfully, with tools like Houzz Pro taking the edge off home design and renovation, such projects become a breeze. Check out our comprehensive Houzz review to discover how.

• What Is Houzz?
• How Does Houzz Work?
• What Is Houzz Pro?
• Houzz Pro Features
• Houzz Pro Pricing Review
• Houzz Pros & Cons
• Houzz vs. Competitors
• Final Thoughts: Is Houzz Worth It?

What Is Houzz?

Houzz.com is one of the biggest websites for architecture, interior and landscape design, and home improvement. The platform attracts over 40 million users monthly and was created to connect homeowners with interior designers, contractors, and other housing professionals. It’s a platform where homeowners can find home remodeling and design ideas, tips, and supplies while housing professionals get to show off and market portfolios.

In a nutshell, Houzz is a home design and remodeling website, an online community, and a marketplace specializing in architecture, interior design, and home improvement.

Houzz was established in 2009 by Adi Tatarko and Alon Cohen, a couple who, frustrated by the chaos of their home remodeling project, decided to create a platform for homeowners to source ideas and home design professionals.

Fast forward, Houzz is now global, with over 65 million users, 3 million housing contractors, and over $613 million in investor funding. The platform has its headquarters in Palo Alto, California, and runs as a website with mobile app versions for Android and iOS users.

In this article, we’ll review Houzz.com to answer questions like “Is Houzz legitimate? Is Houzz a good company to buy from? How does Houzz make money? And finally, is Houzz Pro worth it?

How Does Houzz Work?

The Houzz business model is an online platform where anyone, including real estate investors in a construction project or vacation rental renovation project, can find ideas, and housing professionals and shop for home improvement, interior design, and landscape design supplies.

For contractors, Houzz is more of a marketing platform. Because it’s diverse, the platform’s features can be broken down into the following categories:

Home Design Inspiration

Are you starting a renovation project soon or seeking fresh home design ideas after completing an investment construction project? Houzz is one of your best resources. The platform boasts 14 million professional photos from interior designers, architects, and other design professionals. Retail brands, photographers, investment property owners, and even real estate agents also upload some of these photos.

Besides the countless photos, Houzz makes finding ideas for your next living room remodeling or home design project seamless by providing a search function and endless filters to sift through the images. The search button is a great option if you’re looking for something specific. However, if you need inspiration, you can filter through the 14 million professional pictures by room type, style, budget, size, materials, layout, and colors.

Houzz even offers project-specific filters. For example, if working on a bathroom renovation and want inspiration for the countertop, click on the bathroom filter on the left column, and Houzz will generate a range of filters related to that room’s attributes, such as faucets, vanities, cabinets, tubs, tiles, and even color scheme. You can even filter your search by location!

These filters allow you to refine your search and find precisely what you need. Houzz further streamlines user experiences by employing machine learning technology to recommend similar photos once you click on one.

Since most images are uploaded by Houzz professionals, they often link to more photos of the same project, the professional’s Houzz profile, and customer reviews. This makes finding contractors who align with your vision pretty seamless.

Saving and sharing your discoveries is equally streamlined, thanks to Houzz Ideabooks. Think of Houzz Ideabooks as internet-based interior design scrapbooks. You can create one from scratch or add the save button at the bottom of each photo to your Ideabook for later reference.

Besides photos, you can add Houzz stories, article guides, and discussions to Ideabooks. You can also add and edit comments about each picture you save on Houzz Ideabooks by typing into the field, “What Do You Like About This Photo.”

While Houzz Ideabooks are an impressive feature, what sets them apart is their collaborative functionality. You can share your idea book with others or invite collaborators, which is incredibly handy for real estate investors in the home rehab and design phase. It enables them to seamlessly share precisely what they have in mind with interior designers and other housing professionals. Inviting other users to edit an idea book also ensures a fluid exchange of ideas and improvement, enhancing the overall collaborative experience.

Furniture Products

Houzz is one of the biggest marketplaces for everything architecture and home désign. The platform has more than 10 million products classified under 900 product categories. These products range from furniture, home décor pieces, lighting, accessories, artwork appliances, home accents, bath supplies, and building materials to hardware and nearly any other supplies you may need in a home design project.

Houzz’s rich inventory selection comes from over 20,000 merchants and A-list brands, including Artistica Home, Bernhardt, Catalano, Hinkley Lighting, Jonathan Adler, Kohler, Loloi, and Moe’s Home Collection, Olliix, Zuri Furniture and many more. Even more impressive is that Houzz.com offers free shipping on orders over $49 and has a friendly return policy. Some Houzz furniture reviews even reveal that www.houzz.com offers buyable warranty plans.

As with the photos, Houzz makes browsing through its expansive furniture and home décor selection seamless by providing a search button and a range of filters to refine searches.

Finding Qualified & Local Contractors

Houzz makes executing the ideas you discover seamless by connecting you to professionals. From architects, interior designers, landscape professionals, remodelers, and home builders to independent contractors, the platform has over 2.5 million active home renovation and design professionals in its directory.

Because navigating through such an extensive directory is overwhelming, Houzz has a “Find Professionals” button at the top of every page. Hovering over this button reveals various professional categories such as:

•  Popular professionals
•  Design and planning
•  Construction & Renovation
•  Finishes & Textures
•  Landscaping & Outdoor
•  Systems & Appliances

This categorization means you don’t have to search blindly; instead, you can click directly on the category of pros relevant to your project.

Even more appealing is that Houzz uses IP tracking to detect a user’s location automatically and defaults the search results to pros within a 50-mile radius. This elevates the user experience and enables users to effortlessly find professionals well-versed in local building codes and regulations. It also empowers them to discover pros who can attend on-site visits, consultations, and project discussions.

However, users who prefer more control over their search can narrow down results by specifying the zip code and city or adjusting the search radius to as low as 10 miles. You can even refine the search by business name. This level of customization ensures a smooth and tailored experience in finding the professionals who can bring your vision to life.

Note Houzz's articles and story links also feature links to professionals’ portfolios.

Read Also: Red Flags Before Hiring a Contractor

Advice & Articles from Design Experts

While Houzz is renowned for its captivating photos, they’re not the only resource you can use for inspiration. The platform boasts an editorial team that publishes two to three blogs (or articles) per week, covering a spectrum, from tips and tricks to comprehensive guides on home design, architecture, and remodeling.

For those who crave regular updates, Houzz’s editorial team sends biweekly newsletters featuring diverse content such as home tours, industry news, the before and after glimpses of Houzz pro projects, organizational guides, landscaping advice, and everything about the home design niche.

The home design platform also features a stories tab at the top of every page dedicated to Houzz designers and other pros. Here, they share their stories, the latest trends, and inspirational ideas and even offer users a glimpse into their personal lives, making them more approachable to potential customers.

Additionally, the platform hosts an advice page that serves as the community platform. Here, all users can initiate discussions, pose questions, or showcase before and after photos of their projects. This interactive space enables every individual to use Houzz for engagement with Houzz Pros, homeowners, and even real estate investors.

Note that the advice page features a design dilemma section where any homeowner, small business in real estate, or average user can ask for expert advice or tips and tricks tailored to their specific project challenges. But if an issue is beyond the community forum, you can escalate it to a sales rep on help.houzz.com.

Simply put, Houzz has a treasure trove of invaluable articles & advice from design experts and home design enthusiasts you can leverage to learn and better execute your Houzz projects.

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What Is Houzz Pro?

Houzz Pro is an all-in-one business management software from Houzz for home remodeling and design. It’s crafted explicitly for builders & remodelers, interior designers, architects, and specialty contractors. It features a comprehensive suite of software tools that Houzz Pros can use to oversee entire project lifecycles, lead management, and marketing.

In other words, if Houzz is the homeowner and regular user side of the platform, Houzz Pro is its dedicated professional counterpart, embodying the company’s commitment to providing specialized solutions for the home design and remodeling industry.

The inclusion of pro in its name reflects the software’s focus on meeting professionals' unique needs and demands within the home improvement and design sector.

Read Also: Real Estate Marketing Ideas: The 10 Best Campaign Strategies

Houzz Pro Features

Here’s what Houzz Pro brings to the table of pros:

• Document management
• Online payments
• Billing & invoicing
• CRM
• QuickBooks integration
• Financial reporting
• Activity dashboard
• Houzz 3D floor planner
• Activity tracking
• Task management
• Cost catalog
• Selections
• Mobile app
• Expense tracking
• Email marketing
• Targeted advertising
• Website templates
• Lead generation program
• Daily logs
• Subcontractor management
• Time tracking

Houzz Pro Pricing Review

Houzz Pro has three monthly subscription plans: a starter at $65, Essential at $99, and Pro at $149. All three plans feature 30-day free trial access to Houzz Pro training and are designed for a single user. If you have a team, you’d have to pay an additional $60 per user monthly.

In addition to these three plans, Houzz Pro has an Ultimate plan, which, for $499 a month, unlocks a real estate investor’s access to all its features, plus a dedicated customer support agent.

Houzz Pros & Cons

As with every platform in the market, Houzz Inc. and Houzz Pro have advantages and disadvantages. We’ve summarized the pros and cons for both platforms below.

Houzz Inc Pros

Here are some of the advantages that Houzz Inc. users enjoy:

• An extensive photo portfolio: Houzz features over 14 million home design and remodel images contributed by pros that homeowners and real estate investors can leverage for ideas.
• Ideabooks: Houzz idea books serve as internet-based scrapbooks where users can create their mood boards and seamlessly collaborate with their interior designers, architects, and other home design professionals to create mood boards that align with their project vision.
• Diverse inventory selection: Houzz features over 10 million home design and remodel products from renowned brands and merchants on its website, enabling users to shop everything they need for their projects under one roof.
• Access to pros: Houzz features a directory with over 2.5 million active professionals, from interior designers to carpenters. What’s more, it defaults professional searches to a 50-mile radius, making it easy for homeowners to find qualified professionals who are also familiar with local building regulations.
• User friendly: The platform offers a range of filters that make navigating the endless photos and products and finding pros a smooth sailing endeavor. Additionally, it has a mobile app for Android and iOS devices, meaning users can execute projects even while on the go.
• Plenty of expert advice and tips: Houzz publishes blogs weekly and sends biweekly newsletters covering everything related to the home design and renovation niche. Furthermore, the platform has a “stories” feature where experts and interior design journalists share insights and industry trends and an advice page where everyone in the Houzz community can initiate discussions and offer advice to other users.
• A comprehensive suite of products: From lead and project management to marketing solutions, Houzz Pro covers nearly all aspects of running a home design and renovation business. Consequently, it automates most processes that would otherwise be manual and time-consuming, thus enhancing productivity.
• Industry-specific: Houzz Pro is dedicated to the home design and remodeling industry. Therefore, it has features that align with the unique needs of professionals in this sector, enhancing efficiency as users don’t have to navigate through unnecessary features.
• Houzz Pro 3D floor planner: This software offers all its subscribers a 3D floor planner that enhances project visualization and presentation for house design and remodeling professionals
• Plenty of training: Houzz Pro features training courses, documentation, videos, and webinars, making onboarding easy even for first-time business management software users.
• Most Houzz pro reviews on platforms like GetApp, Software Advice, and Capterra applaud the platform for being user-friendly.

Houzz and Houzz Pro Cons

Check out the downsides based on Houzz Pro software reviews on different sites:

• Some Houzz Inc. reviews imply the company has poor customer service
• There’s a lot of competition for contractors and other professionals
• Success isn’t always guaranteed for the pros
• Houzz owns the images that pros upload
• Some Houzz reviews state that the software glitches, especially on the mobile app
• Some Houzz Pro complaints indicate that online payment options are confusing and difficult to navigate
• Most of the premium features are only available to users in higher tiers
• Houzz pro complaints indicate the Houzz 3D floor planner isn’t as advanced as other floor planners in the market
• Some users report aggressive sales tactics by the Houzz sales team
• Other Houzz Pro software reviews suggest poor customer support 

Houzz vs. Competitors

Houzz Inc. is ultimately among the most renowned home design and renovation platforms. However, there are alternatives. Check out how the platform fairs against these alternatives below:

Houzz vs. Angi

Angi, formerly Angie’s List, is a platform that, like Houzz, operates as a dual platform catering to consumers and contractors. For consumers, Angi is a local online directory and a search engine that homeowners and investors can use to find local landscaping, plumbing, roofing, renovations, and all types of home service providers. On the other hand, Houzz, for consumers, is an international platform that pairs users with a diverse range of house design professionals, ranging from interior designers, architects, and home builders to carpenters.

On the contractors’ side, Angi primarily serves as a marketing platform, offering visibility, lead generation, and increased sales opportunities. In contrast, Houzz Pro is an all-in-one business management software with project management, lead management, and marketing solutions. Both platforms could prove handy in a real estate investor’s tech stack.

Houzz vs. Buildertrend

Buildertrend is a residential construction management platform. Like Houzz Pro, Buildertrend offers CRM, project, sales, and financial management.

However, it stands out from Houzz for its materials management feature, enabling users to manage materials and inventory and effectively oversee supplier relationships effortlessly. On the other hand, Houzz Pro gets the upper hand on Buildertrend for its range of marketing solutions.

It’s worth noting that Buildertrend is designed for housing pros engaged in the construction phase.

Houzz vs. Thumbtack

Thumbtack is an online directory designed to pair users with local service providers across diverse niches, including home improvement, IT repair, financial and legal services, and event planning. In contrast, Houzz Inc. is a website, online marketplace, and community platform exclusively catering to the home design and remodeling industry.

Houzz vs. HomeAdvisor

HomeAdvisor, formerly Service Magic, is a home improvement platform that, like Houzz, serves both consumers and contractors. The platform pairs users with professionals like general contractors, handy workers, plumbers, and any other service providers they may need.

Contractors on HomeAdvisor, on the other hand, can use the platform for lead generation. While both platforms are great, Houzz stands out for its extensive photo gallery, articles, and community forum features.

Read Also: 10 Best House Flipping Software & Apps For Investors

Final Thoughts: Is Houzz Worth It?

Is Houzz Pro worth it? Is Houzz legitimate? In short, yes. Houzz for homeowners and real estate investors is a powerful tool offering access to an extensive array of home design and renovation photos, insightful articles and advice, professionals, and even products that can significantly enhance the quality of your projects.

From lead generation project management to marketing, Houzz Pro, on the other hand, offers contractors a suite of tools that automate and streamline nearly every facet of their home design and remodel businesses. So, although negative Houzz reviews and occasional Houzz pro complaints exist, smartly leveraging the platform could prove transformative for your real estate business.

Want to start investing in real estate? Contact Real Estate Skills today and let our team of experts guide you on your path to becoming a successful real estate investor. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting, we offer personalized strategies and support to help you achieve your goals.

*Disclosure: Real Estate Skills is not responsible for the information provided by Houzz or on its respective website. Houzz is an independent company which provides real estate services to investors. Real Estate Skills trains on using Houzz and the benefits of using the service but is not responsible for the content it provides.