NKBA: younger buyers drive remodel spend

The National Kitchen & Bath Association says kitchen-and-bath remodeling should return to growth in 2026, with repair-and-remodel spending projected to rise 2.9%. (nkba.org 1) (nkba.org 2) The group’s 2026 Kitchen & Bath Industry Outlook puts total industry revenue at $228 billion, up 0.1% year over year, even as new-construction-related spending is forecast to fall 3%. (nkba.org) NKBA says the growth will come from two ends of the market at once: older owners staying put and younger families putting more weight on kitchens when they shop for homes. (nkba.org) (kitchenbathdesign.com) More than half of owner households are now headed by someone 55 or older, according to NKBA, and those households move less often and are more likely to fund aging-in-place work with built-up equity. (nkba.org) That shows up most clearly in bathrooms. NKBA says spending rises again among homeowners ages 55 to 59, driving demand for walk-in tubs, seated showers, grab bars and touchless fixtures. (nkba.org) (kitchenbathdesign.com) Younger buyers are pushing the market in a different way. NKBA says nearly 75% of young families see the kitchen as the most important or a major factor in a home-buying decision. (nkba.org) At the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Orlando, trend forecaster Jaye Anna Mize said younger consumers are shifting away from bigger-footprint upgrades and toward spaces that work better over the next five to seven years. (nkba.org) (kbis.com) Mize said those buyers are prioritizing experiences, durability and flexibility, with “premium” defined less by size and more by performance, storage, circulation and ease of use. (nkba.org) NKBA research presented at KBIS tied that behavior to whole-home design, with research director Tricia Zach saying clients are more intentional and want kitchens and baths to function as connected lifestyle and wellness spaces. (nkba.org) The rebound is still narrow. NKBA says pro-led renovation spending should rise 4.4% in 2026, while do-it-yourself renovation spending is expected to grow just 0.6%. (nkba.org) Bill Darcy, NKBA’s global president and chief executive, said in February that tariffs, higher building-material costs, labor shortages and the housing shortage were all contributing to consumer caution. (nkba.org) Houzz reported on April 22 that renovation activity held firm in 2025 and that more than 9 in 10 homeowners planning projects in 2026 expect to hire professionals, a sign that demand is holding even as budgets stay tight. (houzz.com 1) (houzz.com 2) The result is a 2026 market built less around splashy expansions than around targeted kitchen upgrades for resale and bathroom projects that let owners stay in place longer. (nkba.org 1) (nkba.org 2)