In the Middle Atlantic region, where I live, it has been raining so long that my neighbor, Phil, has just had his name legally changed to Noah and has been hammering away in his garage for the last couple of weeks.
I’ve gone to court to have my wife and children declared new species to get a place on Phil’s ark. I’m putting in a pond in the back yard that comes in a box that has “just add water” stamped on the side. However, Mother Nature won’t give me a chance to add my own, but has been filling the yet-unfinished water feature in two-inch downpours.
It’s gallows’ humor, but the rain beats the drought.
Be that as it may, people, including myself, continue to make changes to their houses.
American Express has done a survey that outlines exactly what is being done and where:
For bigger-budget home improvement projects, consumers in the Northeast lead the nation for projects costing $10,000 or more.
More bigger-ticket renovation projects such as a new kitchen or bath are being planned in the Northeast.
On average, consumers in the Northeast are planning to spend $3,566 on home improvement projects this year -- less than their counterparts in the North
Central region ($3,975), the West ($4,092), and the South ($3,623).
Northeasterners are more likely to be planning renovation projects this year.
Most Northeasterners will start their home improvement projects in July.
Northeastern home improvers are more likely to be planning projects that will last two to six months.
Sixty-three percent of Northeasterners will pay for home improvement purchases with a credit card or fund the projects with savings (81 percent).
Home improvers in the North Central region will lead the country in mandatory maintenance projects this year (32%).
More than 81 percent of people in the North Central states will undertake the home-improvement projects themselves.
Seventy-two percent will use savings for the improvement project, while 12 percent will refinance their mortgages to do so.
More people in the South get their home-improvement concepts from television shows.
Only 26 percent of the home improvers in the South will hire contractors.
How-to workshops will stimulate more Southerners to purchase their home improvement needs.
In the West, this month is the busiest month for home improvements; However, more Westerners start their projects in May.
Consumers in the West will more likely schedule their home improvement projects for weekends.
Far more consumers in the West will get their ideas for projects by browsing magazines and newspapers.
Consumers in the West and the South will make more trips to home improvement stores than consumers anywhere else in the country, visiting their local
retailer 10 or more times per month.
More consumers in the West are planning interior decorating work.
More consumers in the West are planning to use a tax refund to fund their home improvement projects.
What about men versus women? Here’s what American Express found out:
On average, the home improvement projects men are planning are slightly more costly than those planned by women ($3,870 vs. $3,706).
Men are less willing than women to buy generic brands to balance the budget. They are also more likely to be planning to set aside additional funding because the project might go over budget.
Men are planning more renovation or remodeling projects than women.
More men than women will shop at home improvement stores.
More men than women will shop at a particular store if it offers a how-to workshop.
Women will be more price-conscious than men when it comes to selecting a store.
Women are more likely than men to be planning interior decorating projects.
More women than men will "try to figure it out as (they) go along."
More women than men will come up with their own home-improvement concepts or get ideas from magazines, television shows, store displays or store catalogs.
Many more women report that they will be inspired to shop at a certain story because of retailers' special in-house design services.
More men than women describe themselves as a "Do-It-Yourselfer." Female do-it-yourselfers, however, are more confident in their ability to do home-improvement work “better and cheaper” than a professional. Slightly more women than men say they will enjoy working with their hands.
Female do-it-yourselfers are more likely than their male counterparts to be planning to do interior/exterior finishing such as painting, landscaping or gardening and interior decorating.
Male do-it-yourselfers are much more apt than their female counterparts to be planning to do carpentry, electrical work, plumbing and roofing or siding.
Published: June 12, 2003
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Al Heavens writes about real estate and home repair and improvement. He is the author of