Today’s consumers undertaking remodeling projects are relying primarily on the advice of a friend, relative or neighbor in their search for a contractor, and more than 70 percent would recommend their contractor to someone else, according to a recent study conducted by the NAHB. The study was based on more than 1,100 responses from a panel of consumers, maintained by National Family Opinion Research, who had at least $2000 of improvements done to their home in the last two years.
The most popular remodeling jobs are bath/powder rooms and kitchens, with 42 percent of the respondents remodeling bathrooms and 33 percent remodeling kitchens. Another 31 percent reported adding, replacing or improving a deck/patio. Personal savings (66 percent) financed the majority of the remodeling jobs. The most important reasons for undertaking the projects included maintenance/repair (62 percent) and increasing the value of the home (41 percent). When asked who purchased the materials for the project, 44 percent said they purchased most or all of the materials. Thirty-five percent indicated that the contractor mainly purchased the materials. On the whole, the majority of consumers were highly satisfied with various aspects of the remodeling project and contractor; including the quality of workmanship, quality of materials and overall performance.
The study has been published and is available for sale. The report includes data on remodeling trends tabulated by region, level of income, family composition, age of householder, and more. For more details, call Jo Chapman at NAHB, (800) 368-5242, ext. 288.