| Because the home improvements industry is such a | | | | Los Angeles - 44 percent; Miami - 45 percent; Chicago |
| large part of the economy, companies in every sector | | | | - 46 percent; New York - 48 percent. |
| of the business want to know who is making | | | | What purpose can these numbers serve in the larger |
| improvements to their home and how much they are | | | | economic picture? Arbitron's Alisa Joseph says the |
| doing on their own. One service company, Arbitron, | | | | findings show good opportunities for home service |
| uncovered some interesting facts during their survey | | | | advertisers trying to reach consumers who plan to |
| efforts. | | | | undertake a home renovation project of some kind. |
| The surveys and studies revealed that nearly half of | | | | Joseph, who is director of sales for Advertiser |
| adults in 75 cities across the nation made home | | | | Marketing Services, Arbitron Inc./Scarborough |
| improvements in a 12-month period. Consumers in | | | | Research also said that the company's work provides |
| smaller economic markets tend to spend more on | | | | information that allows home improvement businesses |
| home improvements than residents and homeowners | | | | to better understand consumer behavior. |
| in the larger cities. A close look at these figures shows | | | | One of the more interesting facts uncovered by the |
| that many people undertake do-it-yourself (diy) | | | | study was the number of consumers whose projects |
| projects when it comes time for home improvements. | | | | included interior painting or wallpapering. Arbitron |
| Apparently, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, leads the way - | | | | Scarborough found that 25 percent of homeowners |
| 59 percent of residents started a home improvement | | | | took this step. A significant number of residents of the |
| project in the year preceding the study. Following the | | | | 75 cities also chose to start a landscaping project. |
| Harrisburg homeowners closely were those who lived | | | | Companies in the industry will be interested to find out |
| in Buffalo, New York and Toledo, Ohio. In these two | | | | that these types of projects were much more popular |
| cities, 56 percent of residents planned and started a | | | | than home security system projects (2 percent) or |
| home improvement project in that same 12-month | | | | pool/spa additions (1 percent). |
| period. | | | | Among the fascinating details included in the survey |
| Other markets that account for the top 10 in citizen | | | | study:o 36 percent of those who tried the home |
| home improvement numbers are: Detroit; Atlanta; | | | | improvement experience spent over $3,000. This is an |
| Syracuse; Rochester; Flint; Cincinnati; and Indianapolis. In | | | | increase from 30 percent less than a decade ago.o 46 |
| each of these mid-size cities about 55 percent of | | | | percent of "home improvement" consumers were |
| residents started or completed a home improvement | | | | between the ages of 35 and 54.o 63 percent were |
| or remodelling project in the prior year. | | | | marriedo 55 percent have household incomes of more |
| At the lower end of the spectrum, the residents of | | | | than $50,000o Internet users are more likely to make |
| Honolulu, Hawaii were least likely to swing a hammer | | | | home improvementso 53 percent renovated kitchens |
| or use a saw. According to the survey, 37 percent of | | | | themselves; 78 percent - paint/wallpaper; 76 percent - |
| residents reported being involved in a home | | | | landscaping; bathroom remodelling - 61 percent; home |
| improvement project in the prior year. This put the | | | | security - 81 percent; heating/air conditioning - 76 |
| island city at number 75 among the 75 cities in which | | | | percent; carpet/floor covering - 63 percent. |
| residents were surveyed. Other mid-size communities | | | | The study showed one other fascinating fact: Those |
| in which less than half of the residents started a | | | | who listen to Oldies/Classic Hits and All-Sports radio |
| project were: Fresno, California - 40 percent; Las | | | | are 14 percent more likely to have improvement |
| Vegas - 40 percent; San Diego - 42 percent; San | | | | projects in their plans. |
| Francisco - 43 percent; Washington, D.C. - 44 percent; | | | | |