| Do-it-yourself home improvement projects are | | | | Twenty-five percent of individuals had landscaping |
| probably more common than expected. According to | | | | work performed or had the interior of their homes |
| Arbitron, a major media service, an average of 49% | | | | painted or wallpapered. However, a very small |
| of adults in seventy-five cities nationwide made | | | | percentage of consumers installed a home security |
| home improvements in the past year. This is | | | | system or added a pool or spa. Though smaller home |
| according to a new study by Scarborough Research. | | | | projects are popular, it appears that consumers' |
| What can be gathered from the survey results is | | | | willingness to spend more on their homes is |
| that consumers in the smaller markets may spend | | | | increasing. It found that thirty-six percent of those |
| more money on home improvement projects than | | | | involved in a home improvement project spent over |
| their larger city counterparts. The top city from | | | | $3,000, as compared to thirty percent in 1999. |
| those surveyed is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where | | | | The study also found that over half of consumers |
| 59% of its residents began a home improvement | | | | remodeled their kitchens themselves while only four |
| project in the past twelve months. Buffalo, New | | | | percent paid a professional to do the work. It could |
| York and Toledo, Ohio ranked in as the second cities | | | | be gathered that do it yourself projects (DIY) are |
| surveyed with 56% of consumers initiating a home | | | | becoming increasingly popular. Other DIY projects |
| improvement project in the past year. Some of the | | | | include interior painting or wallpapering (78%), |
| other cities with over half of the residents beginning | | | | remodeled bathrooms (61%) and landscaping (76%), |
| or completing a project include Detroit, Michigan, | | | | On the contrary, home security systems rank high as |
| Atlanta, Georgia, Syracuse, New York, to name a | | | | work performed by a professional installer at 81%. |
| new. Honolulu ranked in at the least likely to begin | | | | Other jobs usually performed by a third party include |
| home improvement projects with only 37% of its | | | | heating or air conditioning at 76% and carpeting, tile |
| residents making any home improvements in the past | | | | and floor covering at 63%. |
| twelve months. Other cities performing less than | | | | Finally, the study also found that internet users are |
| average improvements include Fresno, California | | | | more likely to make improvements to their home. For |
| (40%), Washington, DC (44%), Chicago (45%) and | | | | example, those spending more than $1,000 or more |
| San Diego (42%), among others. | | | | online are nineteen percent more likely to engage in a |
| These survey results can help marketers and others | | | | home improvement project. Interestingly, the study |
| in the home project industry by examining local | | | | also found that individuals who listen to '70s Oldies, |
| purchasing and improvement behaviors, which in this | | | | Classic Hits, New Country and All Sports radio |
| case show that it is important to sometimes look in | | | | stations are fourteen percent more likely to begin |
| those less obvious places. The survey also found that | | | | home improvements. |
| certain projects are more popular than others. | | | | |