Home improvement | News, Sports, Jobs

The LIRA projects that year-over-year spending for home renovation and repair will increase by 2.5% to reach a record $526 billion by the first quarter of 2026.

“A slight downturn after the pandemic’s record expenditures gave way to modest gains in the sector this year,” said Carlos Martin, director of the Remodeling Futures Program at the center. “Recent increases in the sales of existing homes are expected to drive slow but steady growth in home remodeling and repair.”

The U.S. remodeling market soared above $600 billion in the wake of the pandemic and, despite recent softening, remains 50% above pre-pandemic levels. However, industry fragmentation, inflation and a shortage of skilled trade labor jeopardize the ability of the industry to fully meet demand.

According to Improving America’s Housing, another report from the JCHS, the extraordinary strength of the remodeling market has been supported by the aging of homes and households, as well as record-high property values, but far more investment is needed to address growing needs for energy efficiency and disaster resilience of the country’s 145 million homes.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski /
Nick Martynuska of Nicholas Builders cuts a beam for an access ramp.

Locally, the remodeling market in the area has seen consistent growth in recent years, said Jim Brown, owner of J.R. Brown Construction Inc., Hollidaysburg.

“A key driver of this trend is the increasing number of older homeowners investing in “aging in place” renovations, which enable them to remain comfortably and safely in their homes as they age. At the same time, many empty nesters are now tackling home improvement projects that were previously put on hold while raising children or covering college expenses,” Brown said.

John Degenhardt of Duncansville said he sees the market as sound with plenty of work available, while Nicholas Martynuska of Nicholas Builders, Altoona, said he is receiving calls for new builds, but most are for additions, outdoor living spaces, kitchen and bath remodels.

The age of both buildings and homeowners has been contributing to the strength of the remodeling industry, according to the JCHS.

“While older adults typically lead in remodeling expenditures due to greater financial stability, Blair County stands out as a well-rounded market. Here, we serve a diverse range of clients across all age groups, reflecting a balanced demand for renovation services throughout the area,” Brown said.

“I see all ages having work done and some of it is people in older homes just doing replacement and general repair also,” Degenhardt said.

Martynuska said he sees a mix in the age of people having work completed.

“Some are remodeling so they can age in place as they grow older, some are retrofitting for aging family members that are moving in that can no longer live on their own, while some are adding living space for their growing families,” Martynuska said.

Rising costs an issue

“I feel our biggest issue is rising prices and the instability of them, plus the availability of some specialty items,” Degenhardt said.

“With the rising costs of new home construction now out of reach for many in our region, residential developers are increasingly hesitant to take on large-scale projects. As a result, the remodeling market has remained strong, offering homeowners a more accessible and cost-effective path to improving their living spaces,” Brown said.

Labor problems continue to be an issue plaguing contractors.

Nationwide, the residential construction industry is facing serious labor shortages — currently, there are 217,000 open positions, according to the National Association of Home Builders. “We’re experiencing this challenge firsthand, as our company is actively hiring to keep up with demand. With current immigration policies tightening, the availability of skilled labor is at risk, pushing costs higher and straining contractors’ ability to meet demand,” Brown said. “While Blair County isn’t heavily reliant on foreign-born labor, these workers do contribute meaningfully to our local industry and represent a necessary path toward building a more sustainable workforce.”

Brown also said adding to the uncertainty is the looming issue of tariffs.

“Much of the softwood lumber used in our projects is sourced from Canada, while gypsum for drywall commonly comes from Mexico. A proposed 25% tariff increase on these essential materials would drive costs even higher, potentially pricing more customers out of the market and slowing growth across the construction and remodeling sectors. Unfortunately, the current political climate is not beneficial to the construction industry and its clients,” Brown said.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.