The main image above was generated using Hover’s AI-powered Instant Design tool that digitally transformed the exterior of an old, run down prairie farmhouse. Be sure to see the challenging “before” images here.

 

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) relentlessly impacting all industries across the globe, now is an ideal time to investigate how AI is being used in the home services industries, in particular, for home renovations.

In the center of this area of innovation is Hover, an AI-driven measurement, visualization, and workflow management platform that is serving clients in the home improvement, home construction, and home insurance industries — all of whom are collectively offering enhanced services to homeowners. Hover is also heavily entrenched in Spatial Computing, another important category of technology that is closely related to AI.

We chose to highlight Hover given their consistent and frequent updates over recent months, from new product announcements to new strategic partnerships with leading home product brands. After noticing several names of prominent manufacturer names entering partnerships with Hover, we decided now was a good time to investigate their offerings.

Most importantly, Hover is using AI to address two key challenges facing the industry:

  1. Increasing homeowner expectations
  2. Allowing home professionals to do “more with less”

Though AI can impact virtually all aspects of contemporary businesses, for the scope of this article, we explore the intersection of the following topics and their importance to homeowners and service providers:

  • Visualization
  • Sales & Operational Efficiency
  • Customer Satisfaction

Table of Contents

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Why AI is Needed in Home Renovations

Hover is primarily leveraging AI to address three industry imperatives:

  1. Helping Homeowners Make Decisions
  2. Helping Contractors Win Business
  3. Helping Home Professionals Do More with Less

 

1. Helping Homeowners Make Decisions

Home renovations, remodels and new builds are significant financial and emotional investments for homeowners, involving complex decisions and choices, often with high levels of uncertainty. Visualizations, including comparing multiple permutations of materials are invaluable for deciding to go forward with a project, as well as choosing from a myriad of underlying design variables.

Screenshot of Hover's Instant Design AI-rendering tool, showing exterior paint options

Screenshot of Hover’s Instant Design AI-rendering tool, showing exterior paint options

Addressing this area of uncertainty is Hover’s new tool Instant Design, which generates photorealistic, real-time renderings that incorporate various style elements, using the exteriors and interiors of homeowners’ actual homes.

Starting from their strength of streamlining external measurements, Hover has first focused on three important exterior product categories to help homeowners envision countless possibilities: roofs, windows, wall cladding, paint, trim, and doors.

Instant Design’s AI-powered visualization tool integrates accurate digital renderings of actual products of leading manufacturers, such as roof tiles by GAF, exterior wall cladding by James Hardie, windows by Pella, and paint from several national brands. Historically, homeowners have had to rely on samples and photos of previously completed projects and then rely on their imaginations as to how these products would look on their homes.

Screenshot of Hover's Instant Design AI-rendering tool showing interior kitchen cabinet options

Screenshot of Hover’s Instant Design AI-rendering tool showing interior kitchen cabinet options

Instant Design now also enables interior design renders, where the following variables can be altered per room: flooring, walls, and cabinets.  In addition, the paint colors of the walls and cabinets can be changed independently.

The risk of major home renovations is not just the financial cost, but the trepidation that you may “choose wrong”, which can lead to projects being perpetually postponed and never starting. Fast, varied digital renderings can also increase confidence in design choices, as they can help rule out what you definitively do not want (i.e. going through a process of eliminating designs, styles and colors).

In short, AI technology is adding accurate, up-to-date, and detailed information that is necessary for making well-informed decisions on large investments. From our experiences, we can attest that the best contractors provide exceptional details in their proposals, which is a reassuring reflection of their seasoned experience. Reliable AI technology can only improve this imperative process.

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2. Helping Contractors Win Business

In parallel, contractors, designers, remodelers, and builders face intense competition and pressure to deliver accurate estimates and compelling proposals quickly. Working in a hyper-competitive market can mean that the 4th, 3rd, or even 2nd submitted proposal will have slim chances of winning a project. Speed, accuracy, details, and visualizations are critical to winning the business of discerning homeowners in competitive markets.

A Before photo of a contemporary house

A Before photo of a contemporary house

The original focus of Hover’s technology and capabilities was on accurate measurements and 3D models. Hand measurement of roofs, for example, is a time consuming task that can take 1 to 2 hours per site. Now, using photos, Hover’s technology can generate precise roof measurements, tied to accurate takeoffs — itemized lists of materials and quantities to complete a project — within approximately 30 minutes on average.

An After image generated by Hover's AI rendering engine that showcases a new exterior color scheme and metal roof

An After image generated by Hover’s AI rendering engine that showcases a new exterior color scheme and metal roof

AI technology that can help homeowners make complex purchase decisions, will, in turn, help contractors win more business. By offering timely, AI-empowered estimates with realistic imagery, contractors can enable prospective homeowners to act decisively on proposals, thus shortening sales cycles.

Faster, higher-quality estimates will inherently increase the chances of contractors winning more business, by allowing them to submit a greater volume of quality bids, and by increasing the acceptance rate of proposals.

Using best-in-class technology and services is also a reflection of high quality standards, which will further resonate with savvy homeowners.

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3. Helping Home Professionals Do More With Less

Even when a contractor does not win a bid, receiving a quicker decision is a valuable time-saver.

Screenshots of information that roofing professionals can capture that can then be used for accurate and timely estimates and proposals

Screenshots of information that insurance adjusters can quickly capture that can then be used to generate detailed, accurate and timely estimates

AI-powered estimates by Hover are also helping junior, less-experienced personnel produce quality proposals — think of augmented guardrails to guide personnel through a regimented assessment walk-through, capturing accurate data and imagery along the way.

In a recent company update, Hover’s CEO, A.J. Altman, shared that their AI technology is also enabling his own firm to hire, train and assist project managers, who join the company, with no construction experience.

Again, the shortage of personnel with trade experience and knowledge is impacting a wide-range of companies. However, AI can be a viable option to rectify this deficiency quickly and affordably, in certain areas, such as producing proposals, sourcing materials, and managing projects.

AI usage survey data in SORCI's 2025 State of Residential Construction Industry

AI usage data in SORCI’s 2025 State of Residential Construction Industry survey shows a low percentage of construction firms are using AI. Of those that do use AI, it is primarily being used for Sales & Marketing activities.
Image courtesy of SORCI

Critical to Hover helping contractors do more with less is integrating their technology with leading construction and insurance platforms so that the output of Hover’s technology can seamlessly mesh with existing systems, without any duplication of effort.

While using AI to automate manual measurements, material lists, and scaling blueprints to 3D models is incredibly valuable, Hover’s focus on integrating with prevalent workflow tools will further fuel adoption, improve efficiencies, and increase accuracy for the benefit of all stakeholders: homeowners, contractors, and insurance carriers.

A key part of Hover’s success and growing adoption rates is that the construction and insurance industries have been using their data to work better together. As more parties use their tools, the system becomes more efficient, more accurate, and more intelligent — the very definition of a virtuous cycle. With recent advances, Hover is exploring new applications, such as teaching its software to do other things, such as “how to design”.

The powerful combination of speed, convenience, and accuracy will empower innovative home services companies to be more efficient. This ultimately means a larger pool of quality contractors and firms will be able to serve more homeowners in a timely fashion.

 

The Importance of Visualization

Hover’s latest advancements are being fueled by the findings of the Hover 2025 Design Sentiment Survey. This report provides insights into the evolving expectations and challenges in the construction and home remodeling industry, particularly regarding visualization and design processes.

A Before photo of a large white farmhouse

A Before photo of a large white farmhouse

Here are the key highlights:

  • Rising Homeowner Expectations: Two-thirds of construction professionals report that homeowners have higher design expectations compared to five years ago, reflecting a demand for more sophisticated, visual project proposals and presentations. More homeowners expect to see what they are buying before committing (i.e. product samples and photos of past projects are insufficient). The 2025 APB SORCI Report — an annual survey for the residential building industry — also confirms this finding, as their latest report identified “managing unrealistic homeowner expectations” as a top challenge of builders.
  • Limited Use of Visualization: Despite these expectations, less than one-third of projects currently receive a visualization, indicating a gap between homeowner demands and current practices.
  • Reliance on Outdated Methods: Nearly half (46%) of professionals still use outdated methods like product samples and photos of past projects, instead of advanced visualization tools, highlighting a lag in adopting modern technology.
  • Need for Easier & Faster Design Tools: One in three professionals note that it takes too long to produce designs for homeowners, pointing to speed as a significant pain point in the design process.

These findings underscore the need for faster, more accessible, and advanced visualization tools to meet homeowner expectations and streamline workflows in the construction industry. The fast, iterative nature of AI-powered visual renderings enables homeowners to make confident design and purchase choices more easily.

An After image of a large farmhouse in Monochrome style, using Hover's AI-rendering image. A dramatically different look that the original home.

An After image of a large farmhouse in Monochrome style, using Hover’s AI-rendering tool — a dramatically different look than the original style.

As mentioned previously, Hover’s direct response to these needs is their Instant Design AI-powered visualize design tool launched in February 2025.

In parallel to the unique needs and challenges in the home services space, advancements in ecommerce, as well as experiential retail spaces, have significantly impacted the visual and interactive expectations of consumers. Two examples, include:

While basic, virtual try-on solutions have existed for over a decade, the technology (e.g. AI with AR, Augmented Reality) has improved in parallel with growing consumer awareness on how to best use these tools. Hover’s Instant Design can be classified as another type of “virtual try-on” tool, but for significantly more important and costly purchase decisions, than say an impulsive purchase of a sweater or pair of sunglasses.

Innovators in the luxury home goods industry have continued to invest in experiential retail capabilities to allow prospective buyers to try out high-ticket household items — e.g. kitchen appliances and luxury bath amenities — before they make sizeable, life-impacting investments.

Also see:

 

AI-Powered Features Currently Offered by Hover

Here is a summary of interesting capabilities within Hover’s current offerings powered by AI that will play an important role in transforming home renovations and construction:

  • Instant Design: Hover’s generative AI, built on a 3D spatial database of millions of homes, creates photorealistic designs instantly from a single photo, requiring no design skills. This feature allows contractors and homeowners to collaborate in real-time, editing designs and sharing feedback, speeding up approvals.
  • Hover Connect: Enables efficient remote collaboration via video conferencing, where professionals can share 3D models with homeowners, reducing the need for on-site visits and aligning with efficient virtual workflows.
  • Blueprint-to-3D Model Conversions: Hover can transform 2D blueprints into scaled 3D models with exterior and interior measurements, automating takeoffs and material ordering, which saves contractors significant time and costs.
  • Virtual Shopping with Real Product Integration: Hover continues to integrate leading manufacturers, such as Pella Windows and GAF, into its tools, allowing homeowners to visualize key design choices, leading to faster, more accurate purchase decisions, while enabling contractors to order products and quantities accurately and efficiently
  • Augmented Intelligence: Hover’s AI tools reduce learning curves for professionals with automation, and guided, integrated workflows. They also make design accessible to homeowners, and position them as a leader in the visual economy, where “seeing is believing.”
  • Virtual Walk-Through Models: Hover’s app can be used to quickly generate 3D virtual walk-through models by homeowners and insurance adjusters alike that can document damage in property insurance claims
  • Reduced Material Waste: Hover’s workflow app that automates accurate measurements, tied to precisely calculated takeoffs helps eliminate waste due to over ordering

 

Future Opportunities: A Gateway to Digital Twins

Though the current state of Residential Digital Twins is still nascent, the progress of innovative firms, such as Hover, will serve as a gateway to “early stage” digital twins for existing housing inventory.

For those unfamiliar with digital twins, imagine visual, 3D model databases of individual homes consisting of: floorplans and dimensions; information on products, appliances and systems; warranty information; maintenance records; how-to maintenance documentation; and more.

For advanced digital twins, think of robust smart home integrations, where a home’s digital twin will include dynamic performance data and maintenance updates (e.g. utility metrics; energy efficiency; IAQ – indoor air quality – metrics; maintenance reminders; spatial temperature readings; etc.), plus the ability to control virtually all aspects of your home (e.g. security settings; IAQ and temperature settings; irrigation schedules; energy usage; integrated shopping; etc.).

In essence, Hover’s easy-to-use, highly accurate measurement and modeling tools — along with being integrated with real product details — represent a tremendous opportunity to “retrofit” existing homes into modern, “phase 1” digital twins.

On the other end of the “digital twin” spectrum, is new home construction, where innovative homebuilders and homeowners are already using advanced platforms, such as Digs, to build comprehensive digital twins from the on start. As more new homes are built with corresponding digital twins, awareness will spread on their importance to homeownership, which will correlate to increased property values and higher homeowner satisfaction levels.

The latest integration of AI technology from Digs includes their AskDigs digital twin tool that serves as an AI concierge at the center of a given project or a competed home. Whether in the midst of construction or in the aftermath of homeownership, the tool can provide instant, detailed responses to questions related to product information, installation decisions, specifications, warranties, and more, using natural language processing.

Though the acronym AI is virtually always referring to Artificial Intelligence, it should also be used to represent “Augmented Intelligence”, where technology is assisting humans and their organizations to become more capable, efficient and impactful.

 

About Hover

In tandem with their industry clients and partners, the mission of Hover is to help homeowners protect, maintain, and improve their homes.

Designed with Hover, an old run down white farmhouse before photo vs a Hover AI-rendered after photo in Monochrome style

The before and after photos of an old run down white farmhouse, with the After photo AI-rendered by Hover as an automated suggestion

Since its inception in 2011, Hover has evolved from a niche 3D modeling and measurement startup to a transformative platform serving the home improvement and property insurance industries. The firm’s focus has expanded from basic 3D modeling to a comprehensive ecosystem that integrates AI-powered design and visualization tools, estimate writing, e-commerce integration, and advanced workflows for the construction and insurance industries.

Hover's view of the Homeowner's universe pertaining to construction, renovations and insurance remediation

Hover’s view of the Homeowner’s universe pertaining to construction, renovations, repairs and insurance remediation
Image courtesy of Hover

Key products include the Hover app for creating 3D property models, Instant Design for real-time visualization, and features tailored for contractors and insurers to streamline workflows that enhance customer experiences.

To date, the company has raised approximately $142 million over nine funding rounds from 25 investors, including several prominent entities from the construction, insurance, and retail spaces, such as: Nationwide Mutual Insurance, Google Ventures, State Farm Ventures, The Home Depot, Travelers Insurance, Guidewire Software, and Standard Industries, parent of GAF Roofing.

Old run down white farmhouse on the prairie

The full Before view of an old run down white farmhouse before it was AI-rendered by Hover, featured as the main image of this article

Examples of somewhat similar companies competing in the intersection of construction, property insurance, and design visualization, include:

 

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