Mastering Uncertainty in 2026's Remodeling Market

In this episode of Remodeling Mastery, Mark Richardson explains how remodelers can master the uncertainty we are headed for in 2026. He shares insights from Google, Cleveland Research, and industry data on consumer confidence, the economy, and remodeling costs. Mark offers ten practical strategies for navigating volatile markets, leading teams, building client confidence, and focusing on what they can control to maintain a strong business.

TRANSCRIPT:

Hi, I am Mark Richardson, and welcome to Remodeling Mastery. Remodeling Mastery is a podcast series designed to help you reflect and think about your business—not just do your business. We’re juggling so many balls, and things are coming at us from many different directions.

It’s critical to take a timeout, take a deep breath, and reflect. That’s what I’m helping you do. I have an opportunity to touch many different remodeling companies through my coaching and speaking, as well as many industry leaders through the magazines, Harvard University, and the association.

Aggregating insights from across the industry

As a result, I’m able to aggregate many different things and share what I see and hear out there. One of the most common questions I get is, “Mark, what are you seeing out there? What are others doing? How do I measure up?” In this podcast series, I try to touch on those things so you can take inventory yourself.

Today I’m going to talk about a topic with the theme: focusing on mastering the uncertainty. Looking back at 2024, my theme was that it was going to be a year of uncertainty. We had presidential elections, a lot going on in the economy, and world events.

Uncertainty is not good or bad; it just is. It’s like not knowing whether it’s going to rain today—there’s a chance of rain, so you prepare and don’t get blindsided. We certainly had a lot of uncertainty. After the presidential elections, there was a period of calm, and my theme for 2025 was going to be a year of mastery—mastering things you paused or needed to sharpen.

As we’ve moved deeper into 2025 and seen a lot of herky-jerkiness—things in the country, the world, and the economy—I’ve adjusted my theme. Combine the two years and say: in 2025 the key to success is mastering the uncertainty.

Mastering both the knowns and unknowns

It’s not just mastering the knowns in processes and systems; it’s also mastering the uncertainty. Mastering the uncertainty takes time and energy. A few supporting themes from sources such as Cleveland Research, Google, Houzz, and Harvard are worth highlighting—things to think more about.

Google shared a headline that these times are like an Escher painting—you don’t know what’s around the corner, but you know there is a corner.

Another Google insight on consumer sentiment: “I’m okay, but it’s not okay.” That reflects how your consumers feel financially. Cleveland Research data shows 80% of homeowners (or those with means) are better off now than two or three years ago. They’re okay, but it’s not okay “out there”—the divide in the country, the news cycle, constant noise.

When you’re okay but the environment isn’t, you question decisions. You push the pause button on projects to wait and see how the dust settles. That’s part of uncertainty. A friend, Allison, said it feels “wonky” out there—herky-jerky.

Finding and developing the confident consumer

Google also studied consumer sentiment focused on means and confidence. You need to look for and develop the confident consumer. I did a podcast on that—go back and listen. If you create and find confident consumers, your close rate goes up dramatically.

Technology and AI influences create more question marks—more fog about the right approach. Your competitor today isn’t necessarily other remodelers, builders, architects, or designers.

The competitor is the client themselves: their fears, ignorance, and overwhelm. Fear is normal when you don’t know what’s around the corner. Ignorance includes beliefs like “all contractors are created equal.” Overwhelm persists post-COVID—people lack bandwidth.

The more masterful you become with the client—more marriage counselor, therapist, and investment advisor—the more you crack the code and move toward mastering uncertainty.

I want to give tips, tactics, and techniques—ten in total—wrapped around three legs of the stool: mastering uncertainty with the client, with the team and business, and with you. Your leadership, mindset, and focus are critical to success.

The first encouragement: leverage as much data as you can in relationships with the team, the client, and yourself. Be the voice of reason.

Use data to be the voice of reason 

Google shared that 40% of consumers doing research are talking to only one contractor. Another 20% are talking to only two. So 60% are talking to one or two people—it might be you. Look at it as “yours to lose,” not “yours to win” in a crowded field.

We continue to see price increases (tariffs, inflation). In the last five years, the cost of remodeling has gone up an average of 10–20% per year. Your clients don’t know that—remind them that now is the time to do projects.

Tariffs’ direct impact on remodeling costs is about 3–5% when you consider total costs (labor and other non-tariff factors). Communicate that to clients.

Moving costs are about 10–20% of the new home price when you factor all elements. Be the voice of reason for clients, team, and yourself: remodeling is a smart place to be, and moving often isn’t the better option.

Focus on what you can control 

Focus on what you can control, not what you can’t. With sales, marketing, and production, make a list with the team: things we can control vs. can’t control. Put energy into what you can control.

Control your day—plan the day, then work the plan. Time mastery matters now more than ever. You can control your attitude and behaviors: mindset, enthusiasm, processes, systems, and client interactions. Focus on what you already have: projects under construction, opportunities for additional work, and designs in progress. Land the planes. Your pipeline and jobs under construction are your certainty.

Make uncertainty a training topic 

Make uncertainty a training topic with the team. Abe Lincoln said, “If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend four sharpening the ax.” Training is an investment, not an expense. Increase training time—podcasts, group sessions, skill drills. Today you must be a hunter, not a farmer. Sharpen the ax.

Align and strengthen the team culture

If you feel uncertainty, your team feels it more. Culture eats strategy for lunch. Focus on the highly human, extremely personal aspects of the team. Get the team aligned and rallied. Ensure you have the right people to fight through uncertainty. Address negative feelings and false positives about the industry.

Communicate more and communicate better

It’s your obligation to communicate; don’t expect others to just understand. Leverage technology—texting over voicemail where appropriate, client portals, regular updates. Ask: are we communicating to clients, team, and ourselves the right way to master uncertainty? Alignment raises the odds of success.

Prioritize existing clients and referrals 

Marketing is critical, and you must know your numbers (conversion, close rates). In uncertain times you’ll have more “curious” prospects than “serious.” Qualify well. Focus on your existing client base. A 10–20-year business may have hundreds of past clients—stay in touch and build “clients for life.”

Homes are never done; projects finish, but homes are ongoing. Past clients are your next project and your referral source. My “one-a-day vitamin” was calling one past client every day. Over years it created millions of dollars in business, and clients always appreciated the call.

Protect and project your mojo 

Clients don’t want you showing up fearful. Have the right level of excitement and enthusiasm. Get your mojo back. Every 10 days, make a list of positives and negatives across life and business. You’ll usually see 10–12 positives and 1–2 negatives—and the negatives are fixable. Plan to fix them. Surround yourself with positive-mindset people. Turn off the news if it drags you down.

Focus on personal cadence and health 

Focus on you: your planning and your health. Those are controllable. Manage pace and cadence. Ask, “Is this aggressive but realistic?” Find the right balance for you, your projects, and your team. Communicate that cadence clearly.

Don’t panic—remodeling is still the place to be

Don’t panic. The home is your clients’ most important asset. People are less likely to move because of expense, mortgage rates, and limited inventory. They can’t let their house “die.” You’re in a unique position to help. If you don’t panic and focus on what you can control, you’ll become more masterful with uncertainty.

Thank you for listening. Share this with a team member, family, or friend who feels stuck in these herky-jerky times. Help them feel they can control more and master more. This is a time to get out there and make it happen—not be a deer in headlights or wish you had acted.