Danny Fisher, the Chief Technology Officer at West Shore Home oversees one of the largest bathroom remodelers in the country with over $1 billion annual revenue. Fisher gives his insights on how he utilized AI technology when he started at West Shore and how it revolutionized the workflow and scale of business. As any remodeler knows scoping is the hardest part of scaling home remodeling, relaying the client’s needs while balancing cost, labor and timelines can take years to manually understand. Yet under Fisher’s experience AI can simultaneously check inventory…
Read MoreCategory: Newsletter
Newsletters from/for Bytes Newsletters
NLBMDA’s 2026 national policy agenda
The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) released their national policy agenda for 2026. In this they outlined their vision for housing and construction, tax and economic policy, legal reform and consumer protection, workforce policy, environment, health and safety, production supply and trade, energy and transportation. Highlights of their framework include supporting the Timber Innovation Act to advance tall wood building construction. The NLBMDA supports and wants to advance building codes that would allow for construction of wood framed buildings larger than six stories. This is supported by…
Read MoreBuilding material prices continue to climb
Residential building material growth price continued to rise at the end of 2025, despite a softer new home construction market. The latest Producer Price Index (PPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that price growth for residential construction inputs remained higher than 3% since June, indicating persistent cost pressures for both builders and developers. Building material prices have seen the largest annual increase since early 2023, now up 3.5% year over year. Metal particularly stands out, with metal and trim prices having surged nearly 50% compared to…
Read MoreRemodeling Market Sentiment increased in Q4 2025
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released their NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the fourth quarter, showing growth and stability in the market. The survey increased four points compared to Q3 at a 64. This survey takes an average of the Current Conditions Index and the Future Indicators Index. The Current Conditions Index takes into account the current market for small, medium and large projects and averaged a 71. While the Future Indicators Index surveys incoming inquiries and backlog of projects. This index increased four points from…
Read MoreFraming lumber price outlook in 2026
The outlook for lumber production and pricing in 2026 is still debated by many in the industry. 2025 saw multiple headwinds in the industry, with battling trade policy and uncertainty. Despite a near 45% import duty for Canadian product, the reported lumber prices from December 2025 is relatively low. “Waning housing production over the course of 2025 created an environment where lumber supply was continually above demand, especially over the second half of the year,” said Jesse Wade,NAHB director of tax and trade policy analysis. “In 2026, depending on housing…
Read MoreU.S. residential remodeling market forecast
According to a study by Renub Research, the U.S. residential remodeling market is expected to reach US$ 804.02 billion by 2033. This is a significant increase from $ 531.34 billion in 2024. Researchers expect a growth at a CAGR of 4.71% between 2025 and 2033. They defined key factors that are driving the remodeling market. This includes the aging housing stock and maintenance requirements of the existing structures. “Roofing replacements, plumbing updates, electrical rewiring and HVAC improvements are now routine projects for homeowners seeking safety and efficiency.” Also a large…
Read MoreRemodel of the week: Bishop Studio
The design team from Bishop Studio remodeled and preserved the midcentury model style ranch for the first time since construction in 1966. The original construction was led by renowned architect and close friend of Frank Lloyd Wright, Don Erickson. The team from Bishop Studio includes designers Jennie Bishop, Natalie Fantozzi and Veronica Callahan who took on the project in Winnetka, Ill. The clients were a young couple with two young children. The studio’s vision was to modernize without sacrificing original charm and warm feel. This is executed by a balance…
Read MoreResidential remodeling averages across the U.S.
The national average of remodels across the U.S. is $149,470. For residential contractors the price of labor, building materials and complexity of the project all factor into the end result. Oklahoma is 32.9% below the national average for remodeling, with an average of $100,114. While this is attractive for clients, it could also indicate that profit margins are tighter for remodelers. Large projects such as home additions in the state average at $5,889. Following Oklahoma, Arkansas’s average is $104,634, 29.9% below the national average. A home addition averages at $6,155.…
Read MoreBuilding material price rises at end of year
According to the latest Producer Price Index release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, residential building material prices continued to show growth. Price growth averages above 3.0%, despite concerns in the remodeling and new residential construction market. Across building materials, metal products experienced price increases. However, ready-mix concrete and softwood lumber declined throughout 2025. “The largest year-over-year price increases continue to show in metal products. Topping the list in November was metal molding and trim, with prices up 48.2% from last year. Two key inputs, ready-mix concrete and softwood lumber,…
Read MoreInnovations in construction materials
Revolutionizing concrete is a continued effort from innovators and they just reached a breakthrough. Researchers from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) developed a new carbon-negative building material that is groundbreaking in sustainable construction. Nima Rahbar is the Ralph H. White Family Distinguished Professor and head of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering. Under his guidance, the team created a enzymatic structural material (ESM) by harnessing an enzyme that converts carbon dioxide into solid mineral particles. Then the particles are bonded together and cured under gentle conditions, faster than…
Read More