There were no flavor of the month upgrades for kitchens and baths as home buyers remained cost-conscious and sought the same amenities that were popular in the 2011 survey.
Methodology and Respondent InformationThis survey was distributed in March 2013 to a random sample of Professional Builder’s print and digital readers. No incentive was offered. By closing date, a total of 205 eligible readers responded. Respondent breakdown by discipline: 33.7 percent custom home builder; 30.1 percent diversified builder/remodeler; 11.6 percent designer/architect; 8 percent production builder; 1.5 percent systems builder, 1 percent multi-family builder, and 14 percent other.
High demand for energy-efficient appliances remained steady. Water conservation is top of mind with builders and buyers, no thanks to the WaterSense initiative—the Environmental Protection Agency’s effort to incorporate efficient water usage in the planning and design stages of home construction. Eight of ten respondents said they never heard of the program or were familiar but not involved.
Cabinets had long been king in the kitchen, but countertops grabbed a lead share of upgrades.
More than one-third of builders surveyed said they increased the size of their kitchens in the past 24 months.
The kitchen and master bath continued to be the biggest drivers of upgrade sales.
The majority of builders agreed the kitchen is the room that makes or breaks the sale of a house.
Few respondents indicated they had built Watersense-labeled homes or used Watersense-labeled plumbing fixtures.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Affordability
How Much Income Do First-Time Buyers Need to Afford the Average Home?
The median-priced home is unaffordable in 44 of the 50 largest U.S. metro areas
Affordability
What Is the Relationship Between Urban vs. Suburban Development and Affordability?
A new paper from Harvard's Joint Center looks at whether expanding the supply of suburban housing could, in turn, help make dense urban areas more affordable
Market Data + Trends
10 States Where Home Insurance Rates Have Risen the Most
Responding to the increasing number of natural disasters, insurers are hiking prices, with some states bearing the brunt more than others