After almost 30 years in business, most companies have settled in to one of two modes: a growth model with a president or CEO who is putting in 60 or more hours a week or a comfortable, stable stage where the chief has greatly reduced his involvement in the day-to-day operations.

As long as there have been homes, there's been remodeling. So when the staff of Professional Remodeler sat down to pick the 10 most influential people in the history of remodeling, we knew it wouldn't be an easy task. From dozens of ideas, we, along with input from others, winnowed the list down to the 10 (actually 11 — we counted Home Depot founders Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus as one).

The right materials, detailing and architectural scale create a seamless 2,000-square-foot addition

New products for the remodeling industry, including countertops, surfaces, doors and garage doors

Referrals are important for any remodeler, but for Pete Olson they hold special weight. Why? Because 80 percent of his clients don't live in or anywhere near town, so they rely heavily on any recommendations they can get their hands on. Olson's company, PJ Builders, remodels and builds in the greater Park City, Utah, area.

Home technology is no longer a future concept; we use it now. So how does a remodeling firm handle this technology: in-house techies or outsourced to technology gurus? Remodelers Harry Poehlmann and David Pekel discuss their strategy for coping with the latest technology for the home.

Introducing the ultra-durable All-Ultrex Sliding Patio door by Integrity

Remodelers should concentrate on building a slow-growing, profitable and stable company rather than a fast-growing company that sacrifices quality, profit, client satisfaction, employee satisfaction and cash flow.

The current state of the economy is strong in some markets, but has slowed down in many others. Some remodelers might say it's more of a normal economy — not just an order taker's phase, while others might say it is a down economy. In my view, they are all correct depending on where the person is located.

Adapting to change will help those in the remodeling industry to prosper in 2008.