Thanks to a combination of economic conditions, consumer trends, and the current stage in the product cycle, renovations are accounting for an increasing portion of most builders’ sales.

While interest rates and dips in new-home sales are expected to be temporary, some of these renovation-friendly factors – the aging of pools and increased desire to invest in one’s own outdoor living space – hopefully are here to stay.

Here, builders share some renovation trends and the products that are making them easier than ever.

BACKYARD TRANSFORMATIONS

When customers opt for more than a simple resurface/retile job, most are adding sunshelves, these builders report. On vinyl-liner pools, many clients are choosing to invest in better steps.

Bruce Mungiguerra, CEO of Riverbend Sandler Pools in Plano, Texas, reports that many of his customers are transforming their pools stylistically. “I think if we just look at regular traditional pools that have been around 15 to 20 years that we’re doing remodels on, there were a lot of rocks, boulders and flagstone being used. We’re seeing a lot of that torn out and getting back to more modern materials.”

This is part of the whole move toward cleaner, more modern design and includes the transformation of curvier pools into rectilinears. But that’s not all there is to it, says Josh Sandler, CEO of Gold Medal Pools in Lewisville, Texas. It also has to do with scale. “We’re seeing trends toward a lot more simplistic look,” he says. “A lot of the renovations are taking out some of the more extreme features from the last couple decades and taking a less-is-more approach.”

These clients may prefer a simpler, more streamlined aesthetic, but they still want the bells and whistles, he adds. They still like to have moving water, for instance, but they might want to exchange their rock waterfalls, grottos or other taller waterfeatures for lower-elevation effects.

“Now it might be something like a negative-edge spa that’s clean and reflective and equally impactful,” Sandler adds.

Certain technologies have made it easier to add features to existing pools. For instance, some waterfeatures and fire features are more self-contained so they’ve become easier to tie into an existing system.

Others have made the job easier as well. “Bluetooth technology for adding autofills has been a game-changer, especially for pools that didn’t have them originally,” says Mitch Larriva, president of the Remodel Division for the Amenity Construction Group in Raleigh, N.C.

Manufacturers also have begun offering lighting features that are easier to retrofit, Gold Medal Pools’ Sandler says.

And, of course, with equipment becoming more energy-efficient and compatible with control technology, some homeowners may be willing to make replacements before it’s absolutely necessary. With chiller technology advancing, Sandler finds it easier to outfit hot tubs to function as cold plunges.

Today’s finish materials have instilled more confidence in renovation customers, Larriva adds. “The quality and longevity of today’s finishes make it easier for clients to go bigger with their renovation plans.”

When doing those resurfacing jobs, the increasing popularity of hydroblasting has helped make it easier for contractors to remove old surface and perform prep without cutting too deeply into the gunite or shotcrete. Compact skid steers make it easier to access and move around in existing backyards, says Mike Panella, CEO of Swimming Pool Services in Waukesha, Wis.

With these technologies and trends at play, the renovation segment promises to increase its role in providing a reliable revenue stream for the pool/spa industry.