Homeowners spend months on Houzz and Pinterest before asking for quotes. If you show up at the bid stage, you compete on price.
For remodelers and home improvement contractors
Remodeling leads from high-equity homeowners, before they ask for bids.
Spur finds long-time owners with the equity to renovate and homes old enough to need it, writes a personal letter that links to your portfolio, and mails it while they're still dreaming, not after they've shortlisted three contractors.
Free forever plan · No card · 20 property searches a month
USPSFirst-Class
Karen Holt3618 NE Klickitat StPortland, OR 97212Scan to see the project
Karen H. viewed your kitchen portfolio for 4 min · just now
AI-written for this owner · Mailed in 2 days
$40K–$80Ktypical mid-range kitchen remodel
3–6 mohomeowners research before hiring
2 daysfrom approval to USPS first-class
The problem
By the time a homeowner requests bids, they've already picked favorites.
Shared remodeling leads go to five contractors at once, and many are early browsers without a budget.
Word of mouth is your best channel, but you can't control when it comes. Your schedule swings from overbooked to empty.
How it works
From list to mailbox in one workflow.
The same five steps every time, set up for remodeling contractors.
app.usespur.com
Plays for Remodeling
Remodeling plays you can run in Spur today
Kitchen remodel leadsBasement finishing ADU and garage conversions Neighbor marketing
Long-held homes with original kitchens and the equity to fund one.
Built 1980–2000Equity 40%+
See the full play →Aging-in-place remodelingOwners 60+ who plan to stay and need accessible baths and entries.
Owned 20+ yrsSingle-story
See the full play →High-equity homeownersOwners who can renovate without moving.
Equity 50%+Owned 10+ yrs
See the full play →New buyer renovationRecent buyers of older homes who want to make them their own.
Sold last 6 moBuilt pre-1980
See the full play →Larger family homes with unfinished lower levels.
3+ bedsBasement
Larger lots in cities that allow accessory units.
Lot 0.2+ acreEquity 40%+
Mail the street while your dumpster is still in the driveway.
Radius 0.25 miSame era
See the full play →Past client reactivationPast kitchen clients are next year's bath clients.
Your listJob 2+ yrs ago
See the full play →Landlord marketingOwners with several rentals need fast, durable unit turns.
Absentee owner2+ properties
See the full play →Seasonal campaignsKitchens in late winter, basements in the fall, each mailed ahead of the wave.
Auto-scheduleService area
See the full play →Remodeling postcardsA card for each home with a nearby before-and-after behind the QR code.
Per-home copyQR tracked
See the full play →Direct mail programKitchen, bath, addition, and new-buyer mail, measured by signed contract.
Letters + cardsBy campaign
See the full play →Leads without AngiExclusive remodeling prospects you find before anyone bids.
ExclusiveEquity-checked
See the full play →See it in Spur
What a remodeling list looks like in Spur
A sample list for one Portland zip: owner-occupied homes with 40%+ equity, owned 10+ years, built before 2000. Names are partly masked.
Zip 97212Owner-occupiedEquity 40%+Owned 10+ yrsBuilt pre-2000
- Karen H.3618 NE Klickitat StBuilt 1926 · kitchen 199668% equity19 yrs
- Stephen & Mai L.2814 NE Thompson StBuilt 1912 · 3,100 sq ft74% equity22 yrs
- Rachel B.4127 NE Hancock StBuilt 1938 · 2 baths55% equity13 yrs
- David O.3305 NE Tillamook StBuilt 1925 · basement81% equity26 yrs
- Lauren & Chris M.2540 NE Siskiyou StBuilt 1931 · large lot47% equity11 yrs
AI draft for Karen H. · 3618 NE Klickitat St
Hi Karen,
We just finished a kitchen at a 1920s home three doors down from you on Klickitat. We kept the original built-ins, opened the wall to the dining room, and added an island without losing the character of the house.
You've owned your home for about 19 years, so you know exactly what works in that kitchen and what doesn't. If you've thought about a refresh, we'd love to show you what's possible in a house like yours.
Scan the code on this card to see the before-and-after photos from your street. If you'd like ideas, we offer a free in-home design consult with no obligation.
Elena Ruiz · Rose City Remodel · (503) 555-0162
Sample data for illustration. Your results depend on your market and filters.
Playbook
How to find remodeling leads before homeowners request bids
Remodeling is a considered purchase. Most homeowners spend months collecting ideas, setting a budget, and asking friends for names before they request a single bid. The contractor who becomes part of that research, not the one who answers a lead form at the end, usually wins the project and the margin that comes with it.
Equity and tenure are the strongest signals. Owners who have held their home 10+ years and built significant equity can fund a renovation through savings, a HELOC, or a cash-out refinance. Many of them locked in low mortgage rates and would rather renovate than move. Add build year to find homes where kitchens and baths are likely original or 20+ years old, and filter by value to match the projects you actually build.
Life stage shapes the project. Long-time owners in their 60s and 70s are prime candidates for aging-in-place work: curbless showers, wider doorways, first-floor primary suites. Recent buyers of older homes often plan kitchen and bath updates in the first year. Growing families in three- and four-bedroom homes are basement-finish and addition prospects.
Your portfolio is the pitch. A QR code that opens before-and-after photos from a nearby project, ideally a home of the same era on the same street, does more than any headline. Neighborhood campaigns after each project are the most efficient mail you can send, because the proof is a short walk away.
Timing matters too. Mail 6–8 weeks before your busiest inquiry season, typically late winter and late summer, so your consult calendar fills before competitors start advertising. And keep mailing past clients: the homeowner who loved their new kitchen is the most likely buyer of a bathroom two years later.
Expect a longer sales cycle than other trades. A remodeling prospect may scan your QR code in March and call in September, once the budget is settled. Keep owners who scanned on a light follow-up schedule (a project story every few weeks, a seasonal note on scheduling) so you are still the contractor they remember when they are ready.
68×return on a year of Spur Team from one $40,000 kitchen
One kitchen pays for decades of Spur.
- Spur Team: $49/mo billed annually = $588/yr
- 300 letters on Team at $1.29 each = $387
- One $40,000–$80,000 kitchen = 68–136× your annual subscription
Example math. Your project size and close rate will vary. Run your own numbers →
One tool, not four
Spur vs. the usual remodeling marketing stack
What you needThe usual waySpur
Find homeowners by equity and tenureNot available, or an expensive list broker✓ Built in
Owner name and mailing addressSkip-tracing service✓ Built in
Personal letter for each homeAgency copywriter✓ Built in
Design, print, and mailPrint shop and mailing house✓ Built in
See who viewed your portfolioNot available✓ Built in
Pipeline trackingSpreadsheet or separate CRM✓ Built in
From remodelers using Spur
Results from the mailbox.
“I mailed AI letters to 75 high-equity homeowners in two zip codes with a QR to my kitchen portfolio. Got 12 scan visits. Had 4 consultation requests in the first 10 days. Closed 2 kitchen remodels at $68,000 combined. That's the highest ROI marketing I've ever done.”
FAQ
Questions from remodeling contractors
How do I find homeowners who are likely to remodel?
Combine equity, ownership length, and build year. Owners with 40%+ equity who've owned their home 10+ years and live in a home built before 2000 can afford a renovation and likely need one. Filter by value to match your typical project size.
Should remodelers send postcards or letters?
For $30,000+ projects, letters usually perform better because they feel personal and give you room to tell a story about a nearby project. Postcards work well for neighborhood follow-ups and seasonal reminders.
Can I show my portfolio on the mail piece?
Yes. Link the QR code to your gallery, Houzz profile, or a specific project page. Spur tells you who scanned it, which is a strong signal of real interest.
Is this better than Houzz or Angi leads?
It's different. Platform leads are people already requesting bids, usually from several contractors. Direct mail reaches homeowners earlier, while they're still deciding, and the lead is yours alone.
What does Spur cost for a remodeler?
Solo is free forever with no card. You pay per piece when you mail. Team is $49/mo billed annually with more searches, enrichments, QR codes, and lower letter and postcard pricing.
Keep exploring
Related trades and guides
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