7 Proven Home Remodeling Business Growth Strategies That Double Revenue

The contractor down the street doubled revenue in three years. You’re still fighting to break even.

Same market. Same challenges. Completely different results.

Spending on remodeling is set to grow 2.4% in early 2026, reaching a record high of $524 billion in Q1. The opportunity is massive, yet many contractors will struggle to capture it.

The difference between contractors who double revenue and those who plateau? Marketing strategies that actually generate qualified leads.

Edward Lane, President of Lane Homes and Remodeling, generates 80% of his $9-10 million annual revenue from repeat and referral business. “The best marketing we ever do is create a happy client,” Lane says. “I’d rather put that money into making a client happy and taking care of them.”

Here are seven proven tactics that turn browsers into buyers and one-time clients into repeat customers.

1. Turn referrals into a predictable growth engine

Most contractors treat referrals like lucky accidents. Smart ones build systems that generate them consistently.

Data shows 92% of consumers trust referrals from friends and family more than any other type of marketing. And referred customers have a 16% higher lifetime value than non-referred customers. Even better, referred customers bring 30-57% more new customers than non-referred customers, creating compound growth.

Build your referral system:

Create an extended warranty culture. Lane’s official warranty is one year, but his real policy: “I don’t care if it’s 5 years or 20 years ago that we did your project. If you have something that pops up, call us and we’ll take care of it.” That 30-minute callback often generates a $50,000 referral.

Incentivize referrals explicitly. Offer $200-$300 for every referral that signs a contract. Make it easy: Give clients business cards, create a simple online referral form, and send quarterly reminder emails thanking past clients and asking for referrals.

Stay top-of-mind with past clients. Send quarterly newsletters with project photos, seasonal maintenance tips, and company updates. Mail holiday cards. Text project anniversary reminders: “Three years ago today, we finished your kitchen. How’s it holding up?” Most contractors disappear after final payment. Don’t be one of them.

2. Dominate local search with SEO and Google Business Profile

When homeowners search “kitchen remodeler near me,” do they find you? If not, you’re invisible to your most motivated prospects.

Optimize your Google Business Profile:

Claim and verify your profile if you haven’t already. Fill out every section: services, hours, service area, business description. Add 10+ high-quality photos of completed projects. Businesses with photos get 35% more website clicks.

Post monthly updates like project photos, tips, and company news. Google rewards active profiles with better visibility.

Build a search-optimized website:

Create dedicated pages for each service you offer: kitchen remodeling, bathroom renovation, basement finishing, etc. Use location-based keywords: “kitchen remodeler in [your city]” rather than generic “kitchen remodeling services.”

Load speed matters—compress images and use fast hosting. Feature 5-10 customer testimonials with photos on your homepage and service pages.

Make sure your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are identical everywhere online: your website, Google Business Profile, Facebook, Yelp, etc. Inconsistencies hurt your local search ranking.

3. Leverage customer feedback to build trust

Reviews aren’t just nice to have. They’re the digital version of word-of-mouth that drives decision-making.

BrightLocal’s 2024 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 98% of people read online reviews for local businesses. The same research shows 88% of consumers would choose a business that responds to all reviews, compared to just 47% who would use a business that doesn’t respond at all. 

Build your review collection system:

Time it right. Ask for reviews within 48 hours of project completion when satisfaction is highest. Send a text message with a direct Google review link to make it as easy as possible.

Use a template. “Hi [Name], we’re so glad you’re happy with your new kitchen! Would you mind taking 2 minutes to leave us a Google review? It really helps other homeowners find us. Here’s the link: [direct review link]. Thank you!”

Showcase reviews everywhere. Feature testimonials prominently on your website homepage. Create a dedicated testimonials page with photos. Reviews build trust and credibility with prospects researching your company.

Create video testimonials. Ask your happiest customers to record a 60-second video about their experience. Video testimonials are highly effective for building trust because they show real people sharing genuine experiences in a format that’s easy to consume and hard to fake. Use these videos on your website, social media, and YouTube.

Respond to all reviews. Respond to every review within 2-3 days. Thank people for positive reviews. Address negative reviews professionally: acknowledge the issue, apologize, explain what you’ve done to fix it, and invite them to discuss it offline.

4. Offer financing to close deals competitors can’t

When homeowners see a $40,000 kitchen quote, many hesitate—not because they don’t want the work, but because they’re calculating whether they can afford it right now.

Contractors who offer financing eliminate that barrier.

Acorn Finance connects your customers with multiple lenders competing for their business, delivering better rates and higher approval odds:

• Sign up online and start offering financing within 24 hours
• Customers get pre-qualified offers without affecting credit scores
• Loans up to $100,000 with terms up to 12 years and rates as low as 6.99%
• You get paid upfront; customers pay the lender over time
• Zero risk to you—lenders handle approvals, payments, and collections

Your script when presenting estimates: “We offer financing options that let you start your project now and spread payments over time. Would you like to see what your monthly payment would look like?”

Most say yes. Many sign immediately. Financing changes “we can’t afford this right now” into “let’s start next week.”

5. Build strategic partnerships that generate referrals

The fastest way to access qualified leads? Partner with people who already have relationships with your ideal customers.

Lane’s company doesn’t rely solely on digital marketing. They invest heavily in community involvement and strategic partnerships. “There’s a lot of projects that we do just based on relationships,” Lane says. “We’re intentional about being in the community.”

Partner with these referral sources:

Real estate agents. They work with homeowners buying and selling—exactly when people need remodeling work. Offer agents a referral fee for every signed contract. Provide staging services or pre-sale consultation for their listings.

Interior designers and architects. They specify contractors for projects. Take designers to lunch. Offer priority scheduling for their clients. Many designers work on commission—if you deliver quality work and make them look good, they’ll send more projects your way.

Home improvement retailers. Build relationships with managers at local hardware stores and showrooms. They field questions from DIYers who realize they need a pro. Leave business cards. Offer to be their go-to referral.

Join local business groups. Chambers of commerce, BNI chapters, Rotary clubs. Show up consistently. Give before you ask. Sponsor local charities, little league teams, or school fundraisers. Community involvement builds goodwill and generates word-of-mouth.

Create a trade partner network. Electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs who aren’t competing with you but serve the same customers. Refer work to each other. When an electrician tells a homeowner “I know a great remodeler,” that referral comes with built-in trust.

6. Use email marketing to stay top-of-mind

Most contractors don’t follow up after the project ends. That’s leaving money on the table.

Your past clients are your most valuable marketing asset. They already know you, trust you, and are more likely to hire you again or refer friends. But if you disappear after final payment, they’ll forget about you when they need their next project.

Build your email marketing system:

Collect emails from every customer. Make it part of your contract and intake process. Build a list of past clients, current clients, and leads who didn’t hire you yet.

Send monthly or quarterly newsletters. Include:

• 2-3 photos of recently completed projects
• One seasonal maintenance tip (cleaning gutters before winter, checking caulk in spring)
• A brief company update or team spotlight
• A clear call-to-action: “Planning a project? Reply to this email or call us.”

Segment your list. Send different messages to different groups. Past clients get “Thanks for trusting us with your kitchen. Here’s a spring maintenance checklist.” Leads who didn’t hire you get “Still thinking about that bathroom remodel? We have availability opening up.”

Automate follow-ups. Set up an email sequence for leads: Day 1 after estimate, send your proposal. Day 3, follow up with financing options. Day 7, share testimonials from similar projects. Day 14, final check-in before moving on.

Lane’s company shifted marketing dollars away from expensive direct mail toward digital channels including email. “Most of our marketing dollars go towards maintaining relationships with past clients,” he says.

Email is cheap, trackable, and effective. The contractors who consistently email their list generate more repeat business and referrals than those who don’t.

7. Show your work on social media

Social media isn’t just for selfies and vacation photos, it’s where homeowners go for inspiration and contractor vetting.

38% of homeowners are planning kitchen remodels, and many start their research by browsing Instagram and Pinterest for ideas. When they see your work consistently, you become the obvious choice when they’re ready to hire.

Build your social media presence:

Focus on visual platforms. Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest work best for contractors. Post before-and-after photos, progress videos, and finished project showcases.

Post consistently. Aim for 3-5 posts per week. Consistency matters more than perfection. A steady stream of quality content builds followers and engagement.

Use stories and reels. Short videos (15-60 seconds) showing time-lapses, job site walkthroughs, or quick tips get higher reach than static photos. Instagram Reels and Facebook Stories are free visibility.

Engage with your audience. Respond to comments and DMs quickly. Answer questions. When people engage with your content, the algorithm shows it to more people.

Run local ads. Facebook and Instagram let you target homeowners within a 25-mile radius of your location who fit your ideal customer profile (age, income, homeownership). Start with a small budget ($10-20/day) promoting your best before-and-after posts.

Lane’s company uses TV commercials featuring client testimonials, a high-budget version of social proof. “The commercial is like an interview with a client, talking about their experience working with us,” he explains. “It’s been really impactful for branding and growth.”

You don’t need a TV budget to achieve similar results. Video testimonials on Facebook and Instagram deliver the same social proof at a fraction of the cost.

Your 90-day action plan

Pick 2-3 strategies that address your biggest lead generation gaps.

Days 1-30:

• Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile with photos and complete information
• Send review requests to your 10 most recent satisfied customers with direct Google links
• Sign up for Acorn Finance to offer financing within 24 hours
• Create a simple referral incentive program ($200-$300 per signed contract)

Days 30-60:

• Build or update your website with dedicated service pages and 5-10 testimonials
• Start collecting customer emails and send your first monthly newsletter
• Identify 3-5 strategic partners (realtors, designers, trade partners) and schedule coffee meetings
• Post 3 before-and-after photos on social media with project details

Days 60-90:

• Set up automated email follow-ups for leads and past clients
• Create your first video testimonial with a happy customer
• Launch a small Facebook/Instagram ad campaign ($300-500 budget) targeting local homeowners
• Start posting on Google Business Profile with project updates and tips

The bottom line

The remodeling industry will continue to grow into 2026. Some contractors will capture that growth while others watch from the sidelines.

What separates the two? Not skill. Not luck. Not even market conditions.

It’s whether you treat marketing like an afterthought or a system. Lane didn’t grow his company fivefold by hoping for referrals—he built processes that generate them predictably. And he didn’t try to do everything. He focused on strengthening existing relationships. 

Pick two marketing strategies that address your biggest constraint, whether that’s lead generation, conversion, or staying visible to past clients. Execute them consistently for 90 days. Track what works. Double down on it.

Your competition is still waiting for the phone to ring. Stop waiting, and start acting.

Ready to eliminate price objections and close more deals? See how Acorn Finance helps contractors offer financing in 24 hours.