Got a Design Dilemma? Talk Amongst Yourselves
Judy Marusa’s Rhode Island vacation property was falling down. The structural bearing for the house was collapsing and if she didn’t find someone to address the problem immediately, she would be in trouble. Stuck on the problem, Marusa began browsing Houzz’s Discussions page, where she’s a frequent poster of and commenter on design dilemmas. She found a post about a beach home in Rhode Island whose homeowner, Houzz user alazaro, was looking for suggestions on how to improve curb appeal. In the same thread, a post by design-builder Joseph Yencho caught Marusa’s eye.
Yencho had commented that he worked and had a house in Matunuck Beach, near Point Judith Pond, where Marusa’s collapsing home was located. She clicked on Yencho’s Houzz profile and saw that he was friendly, active in discussions and had experience. “The proximity was very fortunate,” Marusa says. “He was nearby, so I said, ‘Let me just see if this contractor is interested in my situation.'” She posted a comment immediately to Yencho describing her situation and asking him if he'd be interested in taking a look.
Since structural carpentry is Yencho’s specialty, the opportunity was a good fit. "She did her research. Checked me out. Called on a Sunday. I finished breakfast and drove down there," Yencho says. He found that the structural bearing was, indeed, collapsing. So he jacked up the corner and installed new framing, fixing the problem. Marusa then asked if he could look at some other problems. He’s now going down there two to three days a month rebuilding a section of her house.
When the Houzz Discussions page launched in 2010, users posted a few hundred discussions overnight. Today, Houzzers have created more than 500,000 discussions — and counting.
Here's how to get the most out of it:
The Discussions page is a place where homeowners share their remodeling experience, find professionals to hire, help other homeowners solve problems and brainstorm design ideas. It’s also where pros find clients, network, offer advice and hone their problem-solving skills. And the feedback can be generous and ongoing. (“I need desperate help with decorating” has well over 3,000 comments and counting.)
Whether you have a question about a project, want to connect with other design lovers, or just need some support as you renovate, here's how to get the most out of Houzz's Discussions forum.
1. Post a Design Dilemma
This is the main allure of the forum. Got a problem that you can’t solve alone? Upload a photo and let the Houzz community weigh in. Users can leave comments, offer suggestions and help you navigate choices for your home remodeling project.
How to get more responses on your post: Keep your title brief. Pose a clear question. Include at least one photo (you can post up to four, but you can always leave more in the comments on your own post.) Post a link to your dilemma on your Twitter and Facebook accounts to get more participation.
Tips for commenting on posts: If you copy and paste a web link from a Houzz photo into a comment, the photo will automatically appear in your comment. Likewise, if you copy and paste an Ideabook link, a photo from that Ideabook will appear in your comment. It's a great way to share ideas and advice with other Houzz users.
2. Filter by Topic and Activity
Users can toggle among different topics and activity by highlighting different keywords on the left side of the page. Highlight Design Dilemmas in the Topics bar and then play with the Activity choices. You can see the most popular discussions or you can switch to see what's new and hasn't been commented on yet.
Before & After is where you can get inspiration or share photos of your own projects. Using Houzz is where you can find out more about how the site works. Consider it an organic FAQ page.
The Other section is for general off-topic forum stuff. A Pro-to-Pro forum is visible if you're set up with a professional account. These accounts are typically for contractors, architects, interior designers, landscape designers and more to discuss business strategies and how to use the site for their business, and to share resources with one another.
When a question has been posted on any photo on the Houzz site — What is this room's dimensions? or What is the paint color on the wall? for example — the questions appear in Photo Questions.
3. Make a Poll
One of the most fun features in the Discussions section is the poll, which any user can create. Click the drop-down menu at the top, then highlight "Make This a Poll." Click the green "Attach Images" text to upload a main image. This will also be your cover image. Next, attach photos to go with your question options. You can also copy and paste the URL from Houzz photos directly into the caption bar.
Poll tip: Keep the polls simple and clear. Example: Post a photo of your living room with the question "Which sofa style is best for my living room?" This will let the Houzz community vote on which they like best for your space.
4. Find Good Topics
Use the search bar to find discussion topics that interest you. Again, play with the Topic and Activity fields on the left, then use the search bar to look for discussions about "fireplace mantels" or "Rust-Oleum cabinet transformations."
Search tip: If you’re the owner of a product or company, search here in the discussions to see what people are saying or if they have questions you can help answer.
5. Find Top Commenters and Featured Discussions
Search the top commenters for recent activity and to find interesting, active people to follow on Houzz. Click on the person's page and you can view all the discussions he or she has been active on.
Featured discussions are curated by the community managers based on quality photos and an interesting story or dilemma. If your dilemma becomes featured by Houzz, it gets posted on Houzz’s Facebook page and possibly will appear in the weekly newsletter, which can generate lots of responses.
Your turn. Have your own dilemma or project to share? Start your own discussion here.
More: 9 Power-User Tricks to Get More From Houzz
