Seventeen years ago, Jim White saw the future in a bathtub - or rather, in getting rid of one.
White, owner of Mobility Remodelers, built his Metro Detroit company around a simple premise: as the baby boomer generation ages, millions of homeowners will need smarter, more accessible living spaces. He was right.
“That’s going to be around for the next 50 years with all the baby boomers,” White said of the stay-in-place remodeling market.
What began as a niche specialty has gone mainstream. White says the customer profile has shifted dramatically, with younger homeowners increasingly driving demand for walk-in showers, accessible flooring, and full bathroom overhauls.
“It no longer is taboo to pull a tub out and put in a shower,” White said. He noted that tub-to-shower conversions have surged - what was once 95 percent tub installations has flipped to roughly 75 percent showers today.
The company differentiates itself through product breadth and a whole-room approach. With more than 360 styles, colors, and design options - including acrylic and a quartz-like material called Purestone - Mobility Remodelers positions itself as a full solution rather than a single trade.
“We do the wet area, we do the vanity, we do the flooring, and we have specific items we picked that are great for all homeowners, not just select few,” White said.
Low-maintenance materials are also a selling point. The company’s bath products use Microban antimicrobial technology built into the surface.
“Our bath products have Microban infused in it so you don’t get mold, mildew, bacteria. By nature, it’s a clean, easy clean,” White said.
On the sales side, Austin Barlass, Vice President of Client Services, said the company has deliberately moved away from the high-pressure negotiating tactics common in the home improvement industry.
“We go out, we give them exactly what they ask for, and then we give them our best price. We don’t do the back and forth with people,” Barlass said. The philosophy is straightforward: “best price, first price, every time.”
Barlasz also emphasized the company’s lifetime service commitment. Customers receive a single point of contact for any issues - his personal number - after a job is complete.
The company currently serves Metro Detroit, the Thumb region, and Grand Rapids. A new showroom in Lansing is set to open the first week of May, extending Mobility Remodelers’ footprint across lower Michigan.
More information is available at mobilityremodelers.com.