What Will Shape the Remodeling Industry In the Next 10 Years

NARI National President Jonathan Kelly expects the next 10 years of remodeling to be shaped by AI, aging homes, aging-in-place projects, outdoor living and the challenge of keeping skilled employees. He also expects customer trust to matter even more. In the Season 2 premiere, he talks with hosts Anthony Lopez and Carolyn Lawrence about how remodelers can prepare.

Key Remodeling Trends for the Next 10 Years

• AI may affect both how remodelers run their businesses and how homeowners find contractors.

• Older homes, rising new-construction costs and reluctance to give up existing mortgages could drive repair and update work.

• Training, certification and benefits are central to retaining skilled employees.

• Aging-in-place and multigenerational projects, including accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and additions, are likely to grow.

• Wellness spaces and outdoor living could draw interest as life becomes more digital.

• Trusted relationships may be what brings customers back.

Jonathan Kelly is the owner of Fireplace & BarBQ Center in Overland Park, Kansas. His conversation covers the homes that will need work and the people and relationships that will help companies deliver it. It also raises a question for business owners: how do you prepare for growth while keeping the personal service that earns a customer’s trust?

How Will AI Change Remodeling Businesses and Contractor Searches?

Kelly expects AI to influence both remodeling business operations and how homeowners find a contractor. Homeowners already arrive with ideas and instructions gathered online, along with expectations for faster answers about prices, designs and timelines. He sees a continuing need for a professional who can help homeowners judge whether the information applies to their project.

The next shift may be how homeowners find that professional. Drawing on conversations and presentations he has heard at industry events, Kelly expects AI to play a larger role in recommending remodeling companies. He believes reputation, expertise, product choices and authentic customer reviews could help shape those recommendations.

How these tools will evaluate companies and influence homeowner choices remains to be seen.

Inside the business, Kelly already uses AI to document processes and share knowledge that once lived in someone’s head. He also connects software systems to retrieve data to put it into a format that is easy to digest.

Why Could Aging Homes Drive Remodeling Demand?

Kelly sees a large opportunity in the homes people already own. He points to aging housing stock, the expense of new construction and homeowners’ reluctance to trade an existing mortgage for a new one as reasons people may choose to stay and improve their homes.

That creates work beyond major transformations. Older homes need repairs, maintenance and updates. Kelly also worries that homeowners who postpone necessary work could face more expensive projects later.

He expects customers committing substantial money to ask harder questions about who is qualified to do the job. Can the remodeler anticipate problems, understand the full scope and provide a proposal that reflects the work involved? In his view, the opportunity comes with a need to demonstrate experience, credentials, association membership, and sound processes.

How Can Remodeling Companies Retain Skilled Employees?

Finding, training and retaining skilled employees remains a concern for the next decade. Kelly’s own career offers a memorable example of what can make someone stay.

At 18, he joined Fireplace & BarBQ Center knowing little about fireplaces. What attracted him was a salary and fully paid health insurance. The owner also offered profit sharing and began investing in his future when Kelly says he would have needed every dollar for immediate expenses.

Those benefits were intentional investments in keeping employees. Kelly says his company still pays for health insurance for employees and their families. Pair benefits with ongoing training, education and certification so people can grow in the business.

“You can’t go wrong investing in someone,” Kelly says.

Why Could Aging-in-Place and Multigenerational Remodeling Grow?

As families consider how to care for older relatives, Kelly expects aging-in-place and multigenerational projects to become bigger parts of remodeling work. He describes a family adding a private area for an older parent while keeping that parent close enough for support.

Accessory dwelling units and additions are part of that opportunity. So are updates within existing homes that make everyday movement easier. Kelly points to bathrooms and other spaces that may work today but need changes as someone’s mobility evolves.

For professionals building skills here, NARI’s Universal Design Certified Professional (UDCP) credential is especially relevant to aging-in-place remodeling.

What Home Wellness and Outdoor Living Trends Could Grow?

A more digital life could also create demand for spaces where people can step away from it. Kelly anticipates interest in wellness suites, saunas, quiet rooms and outdoor areas that offer a break from screens.

Outdoor living is especially familiar territory for the fireplace and barbecue business owner. He describes Midwestern homeowners eager to get outside as soon as spring arrives and return to outdoor spaces in the fall. Outdoor kitchens can make gathering and sharing meals easier by keeping what people need close at hand.
His prediction gives remodelers a reason to ask how customers want to spend time at home. A project may be about creating room to relax, reconnect with people or simply enjoy being outside.

Why does customer trust matter as remodeling companies grow?

Asked for a prediction that might surprise people, Kelly turns to relationships. With more information and automated interactions competing for attention, he believes homeowners will value having a professional they already know and trust.

That trust grows through ordinary experiences: showing up on time, doing what was promised, staying close to the budget and helping a customer understand what actually needs fixing. Sometimes, he says, it means telling a homeowner they do not need the work they thought they needed.

Over the next 10 years, the relationship may be what brings a customer back for the next repair, update or larger project.

Behind the Walls: A DIY Deck Fix That Raised Safety Concerns

The episode closes with a new segment, Behind the Walls. Arriving to install a barbecue grill, Kelly’s team found a deck supported by about 10 small hydraulic bottle jacks. The homeowner thought the adjustable supports had solved the problem.

Listen for the full story and the conversation about when a do-it-yourself fix calls for a few more questions.

Listen to the NARI Podcast on the Future of Remodeling

Hear Season 2, Episode 1 below. 

NARI’s podcast page 

Follow Trade Secrets: Remodeling with NARI on YouTube, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Looking for a qualified professional? Find a NARI remodeler.

Interested in joining NARI as a member? Reach out here.