I've been in home improvement for 43 years. I've watched trends come and go, seen material costs swing wildly, and worked with three generations of homeowners.

Something shifted in the last decade.

Millennials walk into consultations with questions that would have seemed strange 20 years ago. They're not asking what their parents asked. And honestly? Their approach makes more sense than the old way ever did.

The Information Gap Closed

The biggest change isn't what millennials want. It's what they already know before they call us.

Twenty years ago, homeowners showed up knowing almost nothing about bathroom remodeling. They relied entirely on what contractors told them. The power dynamic was completely one-sided.

Now? Millennials spent an average of $16,136 on home improvement projects in 2023, making them the top spending age group. They're informed. They've watched YouTube videos. They've read forums. They've priced out materials online.

They come to the table as educated buyers, not blank slates.

This changes everything about how consultations work. You can't gloss over details or avoid explaining your process. They'll catch it. And they'll ask about it.

The Questions That Signal a Shift

The core questions haven't changed much. Everyone still asks about cost. Everyone wants to know about timeline. Everyone wonders what features they can add.

But the follow-up questions reveal a different set of priorities.

The shift isn't subtle. It's a complete reframing of what a bathroom is supposed to d0.

The Bathroom as Personal Sanctuary

Here's where it gets interesting.

90% of designers now believe the primary bathroom will increasingly be viewed as a "personal sanctuary." That's not marketing speak. That's a fundamental shift in how people think about the space.

79% of designers cite health and wellness as key drivers in bathroom design. 72% report homeowners are using showers for rehabilitation, incorporating features like steam, chromotherapy, and aromatherapy.

This isn't about luxury for luxury's sake. It's about function.

Millennials watched their parents treat bathrooms as purely utilitarian spaces. Get in, get clean, get out. The bathroom was the room you spent the least time thinking about.

Now homeowners are asking: "What if this space actually improved my quality of life?"

That's not a frivolous question. That's smart.

Sustainability Isn't a Buzzword Anymore

I used to get occasional questions about water efficiency. Usually from homeowners trying to lower their utility bills.

Now it's a standard part of almost every millennial consultation.

55% of Americans consider sustainability important when renovating or remodeling their homes. Millennials lead that trend.

They want low-flow fixtures. They ask about the lifecycle of materials. They care whether the products we install will need replacing in five years or twenty.

This makes my job easier, actually.

We've always recommended high-efficiency fixtures because they save homeowners money over time. But now homeowners are asking for them upfront instead of needing to be convinced.

The conversation shifted from "here's why you should consider this" to "show me the best options you have."

The Hotel Bathroom Effect

Here's something I've noticed in the last few years: homeowners bring photos from hotels.

Not magazine clippings. Not Pinterest boards of generic luxury bathrooms. Photos from specific hotels where they stayed and thought, "I want this feeling at home."

77% of designers report that tying bathroom design to a client's favorite hotel or resort experience is increasingly popular.

This tells me something important about how millennials think about value.

They're not trying to impress anyone. They're trying to recreate an experience that made them feel good. The bathroom becomes less about status and more about daily quality of life.

That's a healthier way to approach a remodel.

The Real Estate Calculation

Every generation thinks about resale value. But millennials approach it differently.

Boomers often asked: "What's the minimum we need to do to sell this house?"

Millennials ask: "What improvements will actually matter to the next buyer?"

The difference matters.

One approach treats the home as a transaction. The other treats it as an asset that needs strategic investment.

Real estate listings mentioning wellness features were up 16% year-over-year in 2024. Millennials noticed. They're making decisions based on market trends, not just personal preference.

They understand that a well-designed bathroom isn't just for them. It's for the next owner, too.

What This Means for How We Work

These shifts changed how we approach consultations at Roeland Home Improvers.

We spend more time on the front end now. More time explaining options. More time discussing long-term value instead of just upfront cost.

That's a good thing.

Better-informed homeowners make better decisions. They know what they're getting. They understand the tradeoffs. They're less likely to have regrets six months after the project finishes.

The old model relied on information asymmetry. The contractor knew everything, the homeowner knew nothing, and that gap created problems.

The new model works better for everyone.

The Time-Price-Quality Triangle Still Applies

Here's what hasn't changed: you still have to pick two out of three.

Fast, cheap, or high quality. You get two.

Millennials understand this better than previous generations because they've seen it play out in other industries. They've ordered cheap products online that fell apart. They've paid premium prices for quality. They've learned the lesson.

When we explain that a proper bathroom remodel takes about a week, not one day, they get it. They're not looking for shortcuts that compromise quality.

They're looking for the best outcome within their constraints.

What Gets Overlooked

The one thing millennials sometimes miss: the cost of waiting.

They'll research for months. Compare options. Wait for the "perfect time" to pull the trigger.

Meanwhile, inefficient fixtures are running up water bills. Leaky faucets are wasting water. The bathroom they hate is affecting their quality of life every single day.

The invisible costs add up faster than the visible ones.

I tell homeowners this: if you're going to do it eventually, every month you wait is a month you're not enjoying the result. That has value too.

The Questions That Matter Most

After 43 years, I can tell you the three questions that predict whether a project will go smoothly:

1. Do you have references?

This tells me the homeowner is doing their homework. They want to hear from real people about real results.

2. Are you licensed and insured?

This protects everyone. If something goes wrong, there's a path to make it right.

3. What happens if there's a problem?

This shows the homeowner is thinking long-term. They understand that even good contractors occasionally run into issues. They want to know the process for resolution.

Millennials ask all three. Consistently.

That's smart buying.

Where This Goes Next

The trends point in a clear direction.

Bathrooms will continue evolving from purely functional spaces to wellness-focused environments. Sustainability will become table stakes, not a premium feature. Technology integration will accelerate.

The homeowners driving these changes are asking the right questions.

They're thinking about long-term value, not just short-term cost. They're considering daily quality of life, not just resale value. They're making informed decisions based on research, not just contractor recommendations.

That's better for everyone in this industry.

Better-informed clients make better partners. They understand what they're buying. They appreciate quality work. They're less likely to have unrealistic expectations.

The questions millennials ask would have seemed strange 20 years ago. But they're exactly the questions every homeowner should have been asking all along.