Technology to transform the renovation sector

Embarking on a renovation is not easy; on the contrary, it is often one of the most important (and most uncertain) decisions for many homeowners. Extended deadlines, changing budgets, and the difficulty of comparing professionals have been, for years, some of the common problems in a highly fragmented sector. From that daily experience, Aquí tu Reforma (ATR) was born, founded in 2019 in Barcelona to transform the market through technology, training, and a network of certified professionals.

"The idea stems from the client's concern," defends Fernando Lacambra, the company's general director. "Nothing is more intimate than home, and furthermore, a renovation is not cheap. However, it was a service that was not well resolved: one knows when the work begins, but often does not know when it will end or how much it will actually cost."

With that premise, the company set out to professionalize and digitize a sector that has historically operated in a very fragmented way. In fact, as Lacambra assures, when they began to analyze the market, they detected shortcomings in project management, client relations, and work planning: "In Spain, approximately one out of ten renovations is abandoned, either due to discrepancies, planning problems, or because the professional leaves for another project."

To address these "dysfunctions," the company has developed its own platform that allows for the digitization of the renovation process phases. Among its tools, it includes an AI-based application that facilitates the preparation of indicative budgets. How? The system generates an initial proposal that the renovator can later adjust based on the project's specificities. Additionally, the company is incorporating other technologies to improve transparency and planning, such as the use of renders to visualize projects before starting the work or the registration of budgets using blockchain.

But technology is not everything, and professionals play a key role. So much so that ATR has articulated a network of renovators who work under its brand through a system of franchises and licenses. Currently, they have about 250 professionals integrated into the network.

Within this network, ATR offers training that goes beyond what is strictly reform. The company offers programs that cover everything from commercial skills—how to present a project or explain its value to the client—to technical issues such as construction management, margin calculation, or tax aspects related to reforms. "The goal is for the professional working with our brand to be up-to-date in all areas," explains Lacambra.

Despite its digital base, the company's business model also relies on physical presence. The company combines its technological platform with a network of urban stores, totaling 140 establishments—with 44 concept stores in Spain—. With these, the company aims to have a presence in central areas with high pedestrian traffic.

In its stores, the company is developing new customer experiences based on immersive technology: "The goal is to offer a 360-degree experience that allows visualizing how the renovation will look before starting it." To do this, they are incorporating tools such as augmented reality, with which users can project different materials or finishes onto the digital image of their own home.

International Reforms

Furthermore, it does so from a sector that seeks to positively impact cities and the lives of their citizens. "We have an aging real estate stock and renovations can play a key role in adapting it to new standards", whether they are accessibility, sustainability or efficiency. Thus, with its combination of technology, professional network and physical presence in cities, the company aspires to convert a traditionally complex process into a more predictable and agile experience.