NAHB Poll Shows Rising Demand for Aging-in-place Remodels

The median age in the U.S. continues to rise while simultaneously the nation’s existing housing stock is rapidly increasing. These two trends, along with growing household wealth tied to a boom in home equity, are spurring demand for aging-in-place upgrades to existing homes.

A recent survey of professional remodelers conducted as part of the National Association of Home Builders/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index found that 56% have undertaken projects designed to allow homeowners to age in place.

NAHB recognizes the value of aging-in-place remodeling through its Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist program (CAPS), one of the association’s most popular certification offerings.

“We conduct the survey on aging-in-place every two to three years because these are more demographic trends—not a lot of changes on a quarterly basis,” said Eric Lynch, who oversees the NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index and is an NAHB economist on the survey research team. “If you’re a remodeler considering changes to the kinds of offerings you present to clients, then you’re going to want data to back up those decisions.”

Most Popular Aging-In-Place Projects

The survey asked remodelers to specify which types of aging-in-place projects are desired by consumers, and the most common was grab bars, with 87% of remodelers saying they performed this type of work in the last year. Other common projects included adding a curbless shower (78%), installing higher toilets (71%), and widening doorways (52%). While the respective rankings of these four features have changed, they’ve consistently been the aging-in-place projects that remodelers cite as client favorites.

What’s Driving Demand?

When asked why customers undertake aging-in-place projects, 91% of remodelers said the main reason is that homeowners are planning ahead for future needs. Additional motivation: homeowners have older parents living with them (48%) and they need to accommodate acute age-related disabilities (43%).

When asked who is requesting aging-in-place work, 65% of remodelers indicated that a majority of their work was requested by the client, while 35% said it was mostly suggested by the contractor.

“As more people become aware of aging-in-place upgrades, they begin to see that staying in their homes is a viable option as they age,” Lynch said.

When remodelers were asked how receptive potential clients were to their suggestions about incorporating aging-in-place modifications, 98% of remodelers said their customers were either very receptive or somewhat receptive; only 2% indicated that customers were not at all receptive to these modifications.

“We have individuals choosing to stay in their homes longer and fewer people wanting to move into long-term care,” Lynch said. “We have millions of homeowners who have enjoyed significant growth in the equity from their homes, which they can tap into to fund their remodeling projects. Additionally, we have an aging housing stock in need of upgrades to match contemporary expectations.”

These trends point to continued strength for this market, with Lynch stating, “Demand for remodeling overall remains strong and this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future.”